Falling in Love
by thegirlwiththesofteyes
Summary: Ally was the girl with the kind smile and soft hands. Austin was the boy whose brown eyes could make any girl swoon. Austin's face is more familar to Ally then her own. But Allys world will tilt a hot summer night. A story of broken voices, blue tears, warm kisses and messy laughter. (This is my first story and I am not skilled at summarizing, so just please read the first chapter)
1. Chapter 1

**1**

Ally pushed dark strand of hair behind her reddening ear, smoothing her frothy, sea colored dress. She scanned the green, dewy lawn at her party preparations. Soft white lights bobbed softly in the hot blue air, the orange sun hanging low in the sky. A table was filled with food and drinks (nothing alcoholic of course, she would never do that), sitting neatly, and there was a plastic bowl of sloshing red fruit punch. There was a bloated lump in her throat. She shouldn't have done this. It was all Austin's fault, really. He had been the one to convince her to have this party, when her dad was at a 5-day penny saving convention. It wasn't even _her _party after all. Austin was the one hosting it, not _her. _If anything bad happened, it wouldn't happen to her, and it wouldn't be her responsibility, she thought, tilting her chin up. How wrong she was.

It was later that night. Ally could see the night sky tilting slightly, and she felt a little dizzy. She held a cup of the red punch in her hand. She turned around, to look at Austin's grinning face again. He had been surrounded by girls all night. She had watched him touching their knees, giving them his leather jacket when they pretended to "shiver" in the humid night air. Right now, he had his arms loosely over two girls shoulders. He occasionally dropped his hand from one of the girls tanned skin to drink from a beer bottle. He had led about three different girls at a time toward her house. They would be gone for about half an hour or more. Austin would come back with a satisfied look on his face, almost as he was a predator content with his kill. She felt a stab of anger at Austin and the girls. She didn't _care_. She was only worried that… they would use her bedroom. Eww! She almost thought _good excuse_ to herself but halted the whiny train of thought. She began to grin, his blonde hair was sticking up a little like a horn. He was like a unicorn! Austin the unicorn. She started to laugh hard, lying down in the wet grass, her thin torso shaking with laughter. She heard a familiar voice above her head. Trish.

"Ally, your drunk."

"No, I'm not. I would never drink. Drinking is stupid." Her voice came out sounding a little slurred.

"The punch was spiked."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

"Oh."

Dez's high voice pierced the air.

"PARTY GAME TIME!"

A series of shouts and happy screams erupted from the crowd.

"And the game is…. PIN THE THUMB ON THE KANGAROO!"

There was silence. Dez was grinning giddily. Austin left his place in the middle of the group of girls to a few whines and pleas to whisper in Dez's freckled ear.

"You mean thats not a silence of appreciation?"

More whispers.

"A Kangaroo _does _ have a thumb. How else would it eat a jelly sandwich?"

Austin shook his head slightly, and then looked up, smiling.

"Ignore that. Were gonna play spin the bottle." The crowd cheered. He winked at the girls as he said this, their glossy lips stretching into flirtatious smiles and suggestive giggles. Does he never get enough? Ugh. Everyone spread into a circle, Austin, Trish, Dez and Ally sitting next to each other. A few of the girls looked like they were praying. She focused on one of the girls pink lips, trying to tell what she was whispering "Please God…I promise…I just want one kiss…Austin"

Someone put an empty beer bottle in the middle of the circle. Ally watched as the game progressed. She had to admit, its not like Austin wasn't physically attractive. He's hot. He's super-model hot. He's gorgeous. The amber of the beer glass was reflected in his soft brown eyes, and his hair was a dark blonde. He had soft pink lips, high cheekbones, a smile that always seemed sincere, and the kind of tan, completely unblemished skin that I wanted. His thin white shirt outlined his obvious six-pack. His scent drifted through the air into my nose. He smelled like fresh laundry. I couldn't help but notice his biceps as he reached to spin the bottle. He still managed to pull off being charming and sweet even after fooling around with all those girls. I was still watching him, so I didn't notice when the bottle landed on me.

"Ally!" Trish slapped me lightly on the cheek. I was brought back into the world of dark night air and mixture of voices and soft laughter. I stared at the bottle, then looked back at Austin, then looked at the bottle again.

"No." I said. My voice came out slurred. I had had a lot of punch.

"Its the game rules. I had to kiss a guy on the cheek. You can't back down." Dez said, rather seriously.

"But-"

"No."

"Is it really so bad to kiss me Ally?" Austin looked at me. He grinned, passing it off as a joke. But I could see the hurt in his eyes. Why would that be? He could have any girl that he wanted at this party. She must be reading him wrong. But she never read him wrong.

"No, but-"

And then Austin's lips came crashing into mine.

Everything seemed more clear and wonderful. The night sky looked like a great gods black cape littered with diamonds. Austin's lips were soft and electrifying. It was like every cell in my body was alive. It was the shocking, tingling feeling when he touched my knee, or hugged me, except much better. Everything had been building to this moment. I didn't worry. Mostly because i couldn't think that well when he was kissing me and the other part because I was drunk. Really, _really_, drunk, so drunk that-but I didn't have any more time to think how drunk I was because the kiss deepened. He pulled me closer, sitting in his lap. I ran my fingers along his rock hard abs on the inside of his t-shirt and he softly moaned, kissing me harder. He had a wild, undampened hunger in his eyes, and I wanted to be the one to satisfy it. Soon, he was picking me up, carrying me toward the house, our lips in a blind rage of fervor for each other.

I woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. I felt a warm arm wrapped around my body. I slowly opened my eyes, the world slightly smudged and cloudy at first. My head was pounding. I rubbed my eyes and saw what was holding me, or _who. _Blonde hair. A sleeping face that was more familiar to me then my Monica Moon. Oh my god. Oh my god. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. No. No. This isn't happening. This cannot be happening. I simply wont let it. No. This did not happen. It didn't. Im sorry world, but it didn't. And that is a fact.

I'm not very good at lying.

I picked up the phone.

"Hi, my sweet Ally-Gator" _Dad._

"Uh. Um. Hi."

"I just wanted to let you know that I decided to leave the convention early. I couldn't bear to think of you there all alone at home." I'm most definitely not alone. I looked up at Austin, sprawled in my bed, the lower half of him covered in a blanket. I couldn't help but look at his toned six-pack. Like, this guy legitimately has a six-pack. That white shirt didn't do his six-pack justice at all, I mean-

"Ally?"

"Oh, uh. Yes, hello." Quickly turning my reddening face away from Austin.

"Are you alright?"

I gulped. "Fine..So, where exactly are you? The airport?" The airport traffic back from the airport in Miami was really bad, it would take him two to three hours. That would give me barely enough time, but I think I could do it. I looked out my glossy bedroom window at the lawn outside. It was littered with snoring people, beer bottles, cups, and was that, a bra? Yes, yes it was.

"No. I'm fifteen minutes away in a taxi."

I was very tempted to curse right then. And I had never cursed in my life. I just didn't see the point in putting negative energy in the environment around you, with such words. Someone once offered to pay me 400 dollars if I would curse. i declined. This is because if you look at the long term effects-

"Ally? Are you alright?" He repeated.

"Yeah. Fine. Bye Dad. Love you."

"Love you too, ally-gator"

I was one dead ally-gator.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Trish. Trish, please wake up."

She opened her dark eyes slowly.

"My dad is almost here."

"How far?"

"Fifteen minutes."

Trish jumped out the chair.

"I'll wake everyone up. You start cleaning."

I hastily vacuumed the bushy gray carpet. I picked up everything and dumped it into a neon trash bag while Trish proceeded to wake everyone up.

"Ally's dad is here! Everyone move! Hurry up! I could get fired in one-fourth the time your taking to walk out the door! Hurry!"

I heard the crunch of gravel in the driveway.

"Oh my god. He's here. I'll go outside and stall him. Trish, get everyone out and finish cleaning up."

I walked outside. It had begun to drizzle lightly, the sky a soupy gray. Dad opened the car door. He was wearing a collared shirt the color of red grapes and jeans. I tried to make my eyes look big and innocent, and then instituted what I thought was a strategic pout of the lip to look like a lonely child. In reality, I most likely looked like a strangled fish with bulging eyes.

"Hi dad! I missed you so much." My skin seemed to clunk together, cheeks red, skin to dry, my limbs to stiff. He wrapped me into a hug.

"I hope you weren't to lonely."

"No, I'm fine."

He began to walk towards the door.

"Um, dad would you like to, uh, go for a walk. Its such a nice day with the sun."

"Honey, it's raining."

"I know, but, uh. Just look how beautiful the clouds are—like swirling gray satin."

"Darling, we can admire the rain from _inside._"

"But, I—

"I've just had a long flight and I would like to relax. That's not too much to ask is it?"

He began to walk towards the door. I followed helplessly, my shoulders hunched like my old desktop computer. I would be grounded forever. I would lose my dad's trust. He would never look at me the same way again. He held me in such high esteem, on a pedestal, but that would crumble. He opened the door, as I watched, my eyes like wilted flowers. He walked in. I scanned the room. It was spotless. He poured himself a glass of orange juice as my tensed face relaxed.

"I keep meaning to fix that purple night light in your room. I bought the batteries. I'll do it now."

"Ok Dad. Thanks."

I sink down into the dusty blue couch and close my eyes. We'll have lunch soon. Probably dry pasta on those pottery plates. I can relax and do my homework. Listen to music.

"Ally, why is Austin in your bed?"

Oh _fudge_. Austin is still in my room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. Every single one honestly put a grin on my face. This chapter is a little unhappy compared to the previous ones. This is my first fanfic, so I do apologize if my writing is horrible. Also, I was wondering what you guys thought. Should I have Ally become pregnant from when she slept with Austin? Or not? It's up to you. I have a few plots in mind, but suggestions are welcome. **

"Honey, you gave me quite the scare there. I thought _you_ had slept with Austin."

He chuckled.

"You did? Why would you think that?" I stammered. I stared out the window, turning my face away from him. I pretended to inspect a spiderweb heavy with dew, like a diamond necklace.

"Yes. But Austin explained it to me."

"Oh. Ok." I forced my face to stay calm.

"You know, it really isn't healthy staying up all night writing those songs. I understand you're quite dedicated, but a growing teenager needs a good amount of sleep. And Austin should have been the gentleman and slept on the couch. He's hardly a guest anymore, anyway, he comes here everyday-"

My eyes were glistening with almost-tears. I studied the landscape outside, avoiding his eyes. The sky was a soft lilac, the color of my cashmere sweater, the trees a rusty green.

"Darling, are you listening? I'm going to go relax. You can go upstairs and hang out with Austin. I'll call you when its dinnertime."

He retreated to his room, his shoulders hunched like he was trying to protect his heart under his tattered plaid shirt. I swallowed.

"Dad, wait!"

I stood up and went over to hug him. I rested my face against his warm chest. He smelled like orange peels.

"I love you dad."

"I love you too, darling."

"Remember, be happy. Okay?"

"Okay. But being happy is harder then you think."

I let go, and walked up to my room. I really did not want to see Austin right now. Through the chaos I hadn't thought about what Austin and I might've done. I slowly opened my peach colored door, hoping that he had fallen back to sleep. He was sitting on the piano bench.

"I heard you and your dad talking down there."

"Oh."

"And I was thinking. I know everything about you. Except for one thing."

"What?"

"I don't know why your mom isn't here."

"My parents are separated."

"Why?"

"Because she cheated on him."

He motioned for me to sit next to him. He placed his hand on my knee, sending a warm jolt through my body. His soft, thick brown eyes looked into mine. I stared at a lamp, not looking at him, a lump in my throat. I felt like crying, yet his hand on my knee still sent toasty shivers down my back.

"What happened?"

"It's easier to tell it as if it wasn't me. But I'll tell you."

_The girl sits on a stiff, wooden chair in front of her grandmother's archaic desktop computer. The smudged window of her artists' housing apartment looks out upon the fading New York City sky, the sun sliding down it like a yellow egg yolk, freckling the clouds with rosy light. The thick keys make clunking sounds as she types .com into the search box. The computer logs into the grandmother's email automatically. On the screen in the email it says, "I want her to suffer but I don't want to get sucked in." "You're an angel for paying her boyfriend's..." She sits there for a minute and then runs to the bathroom, grabbing the cordless phone along the way. She sits on the scratched toilet seat. She dials a number and it rings._

"_Hello dad."_

_There is a moment of silence._

"_Just tell me the truth."_

_Later, in a black car with headlights that look like narrowed, glinting eyes._

"_I missed my baby so much!"_

_As the mother leans over to kiss the top of the girl's head she looks at her phone. It reads, "I felt so guilty, I couldn't even look into their grandmother's eyes." it was texted to a contact named U._

"_Who is U?"_

"_A friend of mine."_

"_Oh."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry everyone for not writing for so long. I will post the next chapter tomorrow if people want me too. The reason why I got inspiration was the user yanielovesjoe. It was just so nice of you to write that review. Thank you. **

Ally was sprawled on her bed chewing on rubbery green gum. Austin had just left and the smell of tomato sauce and basil wafted through the house. It was almost dinnertime. Her and Austin had talked for hours about anything and everything. She was listening to the song Asleep by The Smiths, staring out the window at the reddening sky and thinking. She thought of Austin. She thought that she might have slept with her best friend. She thought about gray skies and rain and falling in love. She thought that if sadness had a smell it would smell like wet violets. She slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep. The next morning she packed her new ugly neon orange backpack. Her grandmother had bought it for her. He grandmother was the kind of person who was obsessed with safety, and the backpack, of course, had to have an alarm on it in case she was getting mugged or something. Everyone in her family had an obsession, she thought, her father with saving, her grandmother with safety, her with safety she guessed, as well, the safety of never being humiliated. Warmth sloshed in her stomach from the burrito she had just microwaved in her house. The sky above was a feathery gray-blue color. The trees on her street were swollen with heavy, damp pink flowers. A thin, chilled, breeze brushed her exposed skin. Maybe the obsessions are to distract us from something. Maybe our thoughts. She had managed to not think about yesterday for a full five minutes. She quickly pushed thoughts of what happened out of her head and looked down at what she was wearing today. She had admitted, to herself in the bathroom this morning that she was trying to look prettier. And she knew whom it was for. She didn't even let herself think his name. She had worn a silky, dark purple floral skirt with a clean white t-shirt tucked in, black stockings and her brown boots. Her dark, wavy hair was brushed back into a high ponytail. She had put on a thin layer of clear lip-gloss, washed her face and brushed her teeth, and then left the house. Soon she was at the doors of the school. She had her plan. She repeated it to herself. Walk in, put books in locker, walk to class. All with head down. All fast as possible. Avoid seeing the guy who might have taken her virginity and first kiss away. Things she could never get back, things she could not remember if she had lost. She quickly pushed the door open of her school and walked in. Her boots squeaked on the blue and green plastic flooring as she made her way to her locker, shoved her books in, and walked towards the door of her first class, English. The hallway was completely full. She should have been smart and got to school early. She grasped the cold metal handle of the door and was about to seek the air-conditioned safety of the classroom when a sharp, high alarm began to go off. She clapped her hands over her ears and looked around. Everyone was in a similar stage of shock and panic.  
"Is it fire?"

"Should we get out?"

"But look, the lights of that fire alarm thingy aren't going off!"

Ally was filled with a sense of dread. Her eyes slowly traveled to her backpack. She must have somehow set if off. She quickly pulled at the trigger, shutting it off. The hallways were filled with silence. _Oh god, Ally. Of course you cannot make a quiet entrance into the school. The time in your life when you're most trying to avoid someone, you set off an alarm louder then the fire alarm. Of course. _She internally face palmed and then slowly let her brown eyes travel up to the entire student body staring at her. She swallowed.

"Um, sorry. My grandmother um, uh, she got me a new bag. That has an alarm in it. In case I get, uh, mugged or something. I'm, um, I'm really sorry."

She quickly scurried into the classroom, slumping into the nearest desk. Students began to file in, smiling and laughing. She awkwardly laughed with them. Saying something like, "of course I did that. I have to do something clumsy at least once a day, right?" They would smile and then head to their seats, ogling her backpack. She heard the chair next to her creak.

"Hey."

She turned around. A guy with glossy brown hair, tan skin and brown eyes was grinning at her.

"Hi?" She squeaked.

"I'm new here. Your alarm girl, right?"

"Right." She suppressed the urge to giggle, instead making some sort of loud i-don't-even-know-what noise. _Of course, Ally, of course._

"I'm Dallas."

"Nice to meet you. Um, so, where did you transfer from?"

"I used to live in a small town near here. You probably don't know it. Its called Springfield?"

"Yeah, never heard of it."

"Do you think you could give me a tour later of the school?" He had this kind of slow, lopsided grin that could make any girl swoon.

"Yeah, uh, sure."

"First day of school and I've already met the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

"Oh, um, uh, thank you. But you really don't have to lie."

"Don't worry, alarm girl, I'm not lying."

She was about to say I have a mirror or you should meet Kira but the teacher had given them a glare, and she was always one to obey teachers. The rest of the class was spent staring at the whiteboard, what she thought was "discretely" staring at Dallas's biceps and doodling flowers on the edges of pages in her notebook. When the class ended, Dallas said in her ear,

"3:15. Meet me by the doors."

"Okay. Um, bye. Uh…See you then!"

He strolled out of the room. The next classes passed quickly. Lunch soon arrived, and she walked towards the cafeteria. She quickly scanned the tables. Austin was sitting at a table with Trish and Dez. He lazily leaned back in his chair as all of the female student population (except, for well, Ally and Trish) was either checking him out, trying to sit next to him or attempting to flirt with him. Kira, the most popular girl in school, had currently dropped an apple on the tile floor and was making sure he got a full view of her boobs and butt as she bent down to pick it up. Ally understood why all of the girls were acting this way; he _was_ gorgeous with his messy blonde hair and perfect jaw and cheekbones-_Ally stop! _ She quickly tried to turn around, her ponytail smacking her face in the process, to find another seat, but his eyes had already connected with hers. There was only one path of action. She fled to the girl's bathroom.


	5. Chapter 5

I had stayed in the bathroom stall for ten minutes, staring at the peeling banana-colored paint and biting my nails. After I had checked the hallway and deemed it empty, I slowly opened the bathroom door. I had only walked a few steps before I heard the pad of Austin's sneaker on the plastic flooring. My limbs grew stiff with fear. I couldn't talk to him. I couldn't face him. Not now. Not ever. I began speed walking down the hallway, searching for an escape route. I finally found one. The janitor's closet. I quickly opened the door. The air smelled of strawberry air freshener and sweat, a mixture I normally would have found revolting. I quickly scanned the room, deciding to hide under the dusty brooms in the corner. I slowed my breathing down, trying to calm my rapid heart rate. I couldn't talk with the guy who maybe had taken my virginity away and I knew for certain my first kiss. I knew that it had meant nothing to him, that I was just another hook up. I mean, he would never like me. I'm serious. This is not one of those movies that I watch where the nerdy girl gets the gorgeous popular guy. This was my, ally Dawson's, awkward, clumsy life. Austin would never like me. Why would he? I quickly shoved my thoughts away when I heard his footsteps approach the door. He stopped. Oh my god, he had stopped. He was going to find me in here, with brooms all over me and my hair a dusty mess, look at me and laugh. And I would have to pretend that everything was okay and make up some lie and have casual conversation and act like I didn't care about what had happened. The footsteps receded and I was left panting in the closet, my hand on my heart. I quickly got up and walked back to the bathroom. I spent the rest of lunch in the bathroom stall, my stomach rumbling, trying to calm my nerves. I walked to my next class, World History. I sat down in one of the desks, right next to the window, where I could watch the sky and lose myself in song lyrics about unrequited love. I heard someone sit next to me. They shook my arm, interrupting my thoughts. It sent warm shivers down my back. It was Austin.

"Ally." I pretended I didn't hear him. I had a right to not speak to him. He had taken my first kiss and possibly my virginity away without a second thought. And he was my best friend. Best friends don't do that.

"Ally. I know you can hear me. I'm not stupid."

"Why have you been avoiding me all day?"

Now she was furious. Why? It didn't even occur to him that it was bad to take away your best friends first kiss and possibly virginity. Was he you really that much of an insensitive pig? At that moment the teacher began speaking about the Industrial revolution and Child labor. Austin let go of her arm. She was so furious. Did he really not care about her emotions that much? Did he really not know the reason she was mad? She couldn't help thoughts of what she loved about him slip into her mind though. She loved when they talked and sung together all night. He knew everything about her. More then anyone else in the world. She couldn't handle not having the rewarding feeling when she made him laugh. She couldn't leave the times when they were together and everything was funny. The inside jokes no one else would ever understand. She sneaked a glance at Austin. She had forgotten how gorgeous he was. He was wearing dark jeans and a plain black t-shirt. His messy blonde hair was slightly damp from his morning shower. But then she noticed that his shoulders were hunched, that his eyes looked like dark honey and that his pink lips were in a grim line. She had never seen him so unhappy before in his life. She knew he wasn't showing much emotion to the outside world, but she could tell by the angle of his eyebrows and the way his eyes seemed to be permanently fixed on the paper. The class was soon over. She quickly jumped out of her seat, not wanting to speak with Austin. She ran into the hallway.

"Ally!"

Austin. Again. She began to sprint, but he was always much faster then her. She felt two arms go up against either side of her head on the wall so that she couldn't get away. She turned around. Austin's face was inches from hers. His warm body, so close from hers, formed a wall around her. She felt like a pinned butterfly with a heart beating much too loudly.

"Don't run away from me again. I won't let you."

She tried to calm the shivers down her spine. She managed to regain her fury at him. She wouldn't let taking her first kiss away and maybe her virginity go unnoticed. What hurt the most is that she knew that that kiss wasn't special to him the way it was special to her.

"Tell me why you're mad."

"Tell you? Are you kidding me?"

"Just tell me."

"Because you took my first kiss away and possibly my virginity away, you idiot! And you don't even care!"

Silence. I could see his eyes, like two murky brown lakes swirling with dust and fury and regret. His voice came out mangled and low, his eyes cast at the floor.

"I know. That was the worst mistake of my life. You deserve so much better."

It was the worst mistake of his life. The words echoed in my ears and suddenly I felt hollowed out, like the gutted out pumpkins on my street on Halloween. I had never hated being right before. But suddenly it felt like the worst feeling in the world.

I somehow managed to weave out of his grasp. I didn't want him seeing the tears in my eyes. As soon as I turned a corner into an empty hallway, I let myself go, my shoulders shaking as I sunk to the ground, weeping until my eyes ran out of tears. It was in that moment that I decided that I despised my best friend.


	6. Chapter 6

The rest of Ally's classes passed quickly. She just had to make sure not to start crying again. After school, she walked home, picking at a loose string on her skirt and staring blankly at the houses on her street. Soon she arrived at her salmon-colored house. She swung the splintered wooden door open and began making her way through the long green grass flecked with white in her front yard to her door. She walked upstairs to her room. There were potted ferns, bathed in white light in a row on her windowsill. Her pet lime-colored parrot sat in his purple cage. Her bed was neatly made with her rose-colored sheets and silver pillows. Her brown songbook and her MacBook air were placed on the bed. She lay sprawled on her bed for a few minutes. She felt hollow. The words _worst mistake of my life_ rung in her head. It had not even been a meaningless hookup, but the _worst _mistake of his life. She felt as if she should be weeping, but her chest was empty. She felt pinned, uncomfortable in a world where she knew that any kind of romantic relation with Austin would never happen. Had she really been that bad? Had she slobbered when she was kissing him? Had she moved her tongue the wrong way? She remembered kissing him now, touched her lips, feeling as if the tingles were still there merely from the memory. The rest of the world had felt lost to her in that moment, but she had felt so _found_. She thought to herself, _stop being so cheesy, Ally._ He will never like you back. Kissing you was the worst mistake of his life. She fell asleep in her clothes on the bed, her fingers aimlessly tracing her ferns, clutching her songbook with her other hand. He will never love-_you mean like, Ally_ said her internal voice- you back. She knew it. He had basically said it. She woke up the next morning in a daze, not remembering when she drifted into sleep, un-oriented by the vivid world around her. She didn't remember a single dream. She went to school that morning, all her classes going quite slowly. She felt restless, like she wanted to rip the clock off the wall and rewind time, make the party never happen, make her and Austin's friendship never break. At lunch, she sat down next to Trish. Apparently Austin was off in the music room making out with some gorgeous brunette girl with green eyes she had had Biology class with in eighth grade. She felt a passionate surge of jealousy. She picked at her piece of hard bread, her eyes drooping, her gaze empty. Trish sat next to her, shaking her shoulder. She didn't notice. Finally, Trish lightly slapped her across the cheek, bringing Ally out of another world she had been lost in.

"Ally. Did you hear me? I said that you need to forgive Austin."

"Why?"  
"He's already started two fights this morning and been sent to the principles office five times today. He's furious all the time at everyone. I don't dare approach him. The only explanation could be you Ally. You're the only person who can affect him that way."

"What do you mean? He doesn't care what I say to him."

"Yes he does. Please stop him before he gets expelled. He could kill someone in the mood he's in."

"Austin would never kill anyone. I've never even seen him hurt anyone."

"Please. Trust me. Go."

"Fine. But only for you Trish. Not him."

She was pushing back her chair when she heard the screams and chanting,

"Fight, fight, fight!"

She quickly walked towards the crowd, Austin was on top of Dallas, punching him so hard she thought that Dallas would have his teeth knocked out. Dallas tried to punch him back, but Austin was stronger. His eyes were a morbid, hypnotizing ebony color. Ally had never seen him this furious in his entire life. He looked like he could murder. Her limbs felt weak and sluggish as she struggled to move through the wall of people.

She finally got to the front, her pale forehead damp with sweat.

"Austin!" He couldn't hear her. He couldn't seem to hear anyone; he just kept pulling his arm back and pounding it back into Dallas's face. She didn't know what else to do. She jumped on his back. She felt the straining in his hard muscles as he tensed up, ready to fight whoever dared to jump on him. _That was stupid Ally. Really stupid. He could break your bones if he wanted to. _He turned around and his ink-colored eyes connected with hers. For a moment his rage seemed to deepen, and she felt one of his arms wind back, but she held on. As soon as he recognized her face he immediately relaxed his muscles and wrapped his strong arms around her, burying his head in her hair.

"Ally." He murmured. He finally slumped into her, as if realizing the weight of everything that had happened. She wrapped her arms tentavally around his back. The students parted to form a path for them to walk through. Everyone was silent, staring at Ally in wonder. She led him to the janitors closet gently as if he was a delicate young child, even though he towered over her. Once the door was closed, Ally bent down to examine his arms and face to make sure nothing was severely injured. He had a few spots of scarlet blood on his tan knuckles, but other then that he seemed absolutely fine.

"Dallas didn't get _any_ punches in?" She said, indulging his ego. He grinned, but soon his face hardened again.

"He said that he was going to f*** you…and that there was nothing you or I could say to stop him"

She was shocked, but tried to hide it. He had threaded his fingers through hers and was loosely swinging their hands through the air.

"You know violence is never the answer."

"I just couldn't let him say that about you. He had this satisfied smirk while he was saying it too. He was implying _raping _you Ally by saying that there's nothing you could do about it. Raping you!" She felt his hand in hers shake with anger, his face twisted in rage and disgust as he stared off into the distance. Ally guessed he was imagining punching Dallas again.

"How could you think that I wouldn't teach him a lesson?"

"He probably wasn't. You most likely misinterpreted. He's a nice guy"

Austin's arm stiffened and he let go of her hand. He began pacing the small, cramped closet. He took one of the brooms and squeezed it until his knuckles were white.

"Your too naïve Ally. Too trusting."

"No I'm not. You just see the worst in people."

CRACK. The broom broke in half, Austin and Ally jumped slightly. Austin stared at his hands.

"I didn't mean to do that."

"Its okay." Ally patted the ground next to her.

"Come sit with me." He lowered himself to the ground, looping a arm around Ally's shoulders. Warm tingles racked her body. Her shoulders slumped because she knew Austin would didn't feel the same feeling she did. _Worst mistake of my life._ She let out a long sigh.

"I forgive you." She whispered. _It's not your fault you don't lov—I mean like me back,_ she thought.

Silence.

"I don't think I could have survived much longer without those words."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, the skin-to-skin contact releasing hot shivers through her. She knew Austin didn't feel them. They stayed like that for many minutes, Austin's breathing slowing, and Ally wondered how the rule breaker and the goody two shoes could understand each other better then anyone else could.


	7. Chapter 7

Ally's heart was thumping wildly, as she tried to gasp in enough air to scream. Her eyes scanned the tiny bathroom for a weapon, something to defend herself with. Gray light filtered in from the small bathroom window. The tile flooring was a sandy color with tiny bubblegum colored starfish painted onto it. The air was tinged with the smell of coffee. He stood in front of her, Ally trying to maintain enough space between them as possible, pressing herself against the wall. The music was too loud; she could feel it vibrating through her velvety black heels. Even if her vocal chords didn't feel broken, no one could have heard her scream. She didn't recognized the man in front of her. His eyes flashed a bronze color. His skin was tan, his t-shirt black. She knew his face, she knew his name. But this was not the man she knew. This was someone else, someone else who was slowly walking towards her, someone else who was pulling at her black stockings and kissing her neck, as she stood frozen, stuck in this nightmare. Tears began to fall from her eyes, smudging the silver eye shadow crusted onto her eyelids. She tried to drain all the colors in around her through the clouding of tears, as she thought _it might be my last few minutes. _

"There's no one here to save you now."

**Fourteen hours earlier**

Ally woke up the next morning, yawning. She felt happy today. She had forgiven Austin. After they had sat in the janitors closet for a while, talking and laughing, he had walked her to her next class and given her a long hug before walking off. She still remembered him smelling like fresh laundry and the grapefruit hand soap his mom always had in his bathroom. She looked at the time. It was already 7:30! She quickly showered, dried her hair, and changed into her bra and underpants. She began hopping around as she brushed her teeth, shimmying into a pair of dark skinny jeans, pulling on a green t-shirt with yellow daffodils on it and stepping into her boots. She managed to fall only twice. While walking to school, she side braided her hair, put on some clear mascara, took out her fruity dove deodorant from her bag and put it on. While she opened the doors to the school she ran some raspberry lip balm across her lips.

"You made it, Dawson. You still have a minute before the bell rings." It was Austin. He took her heavy bag from her shoulders, carrying it for her as if it weighed a feather.

"Thanks. Can you tell that I did my hair and everything else on the way to school?"

"I can. But don't worry, no one else will notice."  
"Okay. Bye! I have to go this way…you have physics right?"

"Yeah." He began walking away. As she watched his receding form high fiving people and looping his arm around girl's waists, she couldn't help the words ringing in her ears.

_Worst mistake of my life._

She walked into World History. The only seat left was one next to Dallas. He had patches of red, yellow, blue and purple skin on his face. She felt guilty.

"Dallas, are you okay?"

"Yeah, its all good. Its not Austin's fault that he's so protective of you." He said, weakly smiling. He continued,

"Why'd you bail on me yesterday? You were gonna give me a tour."

"Oh my god. I totally forgot! I'm so sorry."

Then she thought about what he said.

"Actually, I'm, I'm, um, I'm not. That was horrible the thing you said about me." She stuttered.

"I know. I'm sorry. I was just trying to fit in, to be liked. But that's no excuse. I know I need to stop caring so much about what other people think of me."

"Well…everyone does deserve a second chance."

"I'll make it up to you. How about coming to the party at Kira's house with me?"

Kira's party was the biggest party of the year. Of course, Ally being the biggest nerd you will ever meet, went to her first party in freshman year and walked out after two seconds. The air was filled with smoke from unknown sources and it was dark and cramped. Then she went home and ran a hot shower so that her bathroom would fill with steam to get the smoke out of my lungs. She thought_, I'm the prudest person you will ever meet. But smoking takes away ten years of your life_. She had never been invited to Kira's party. That was restricted to the popular kids.

She realized Dallas was still staring at her, awaiting a response.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Ill pick you up at eight."

"Okay."

The rest of the day passed quickly. She told Trish the news of the party during lunch. She squealed and Ally half-heartedly squealed with her. Dallas didn't send the hot shivers down her spine that someone who shall not be named did. _But why was I hoping for the unattainable? _She thought. She should take what she could get. Dallas was hot and nice. She couldn't even believe he liked awkward _her._

That night Trish came to Ally's house to find something for her to wear. They searched through her closets. Trish forced her into a tight black dress and a pair of black stockings. Ally left her hair down and Trish put heavy black eyeliner, silver eye shadow and dark scarlet lipstick on her. She wore a pair of black heels. Dallas picked her up in his black car. They entered the party, and Ally scanned the room. Kira's dad was Jimmy Star, the owner of a big record company that Austin was signed too. The house was humongous. Someone could get lost in it and never come out. She shivered.

"What's wrong?" Dallas asked.

"Nothing."

The walls were painted a dark purple eggplant color. Black couches were scattered through out the room and the room was cast in a kind of morbid green light that made everyone look demonic, there skin pulsing with light and the kind of music that makes you forget. She was guessing it probably made her look like an unripe green banana. She scanned the room for anyone she knew and spotted Austin, surrounded by girls, his grin somehow devilish and charming. He was wearing a black t-shirt, like Dallas, and a pair of dark blue jeans.

"Ally do you want anything to drink?"

"Oh, uh, no thanks." She said, thinking back the last party she had been to, and that red punch that led to so many problems with Austin.

"Okay, well, I'm going to get myself something. I know you want to say hi to Austin. Go." He smiled at me in an understanding, slightly sad way.

"Oh, thanks. I, uh, I just think it would be kind of rude of me not to since he is my best friend, you know?" Ally blabbered, but when she turned around she realized she was talking to empty air. Couples grinded and made out around her, each pair looking like one deformed being in the green light. She pushed through the crowd to get to Austin. Just as she got to the couch where Austin was sitting, he began making out with one of the girls. Her body went rigid, and she stopped in her tracks. Ally noticed in envy that the girl had long thick blonde hair, plump pink lips, big powdery blue eyes and a tiny, perfect nose. She was wearing a tiny strapless pink dress that highlighted her long, smooth tan legs and emphasized how large her breasts were. Ally watched as his hand snaked around her waist, and he pulled her onto his lap. She could almost hear him make a low growling sound as he roughly pushed her against the wall, kissing her. Her dress was already low, her tan cleavage flowing over the edge, but he pushed the sleeves even lower. He stood up with her legs wrapped around his waist and began making his way upstairs. All Ally could think was that he was just another girl like that to him. Not even just another meaningless hook up but his _worst mistake. _She gulped. Her heart felt paralyzed. She felt as if her thin, milky skin was not enough to hold everything in anymore. That she would burst like a balloon stretched too thin.

Suddenly the warm smell of coffee pierced her nostrils, and she turned around. She jumped slightly. She turned around. It was just Dallas.

"Do you drink a lot of coffee?"

"Yeah." He chuckled.

"Are you okay, Ally? I saw what happened there. I know you have feelings for Austin."

"What? No. I would never like him. He's like a brother to me." She gulped. She hoped he didn't detect her lie.

"I just assumed…I mean you guys spend so much time together."

"No. That relationship could never happen. I've never even been in a relationship."

"Well in that case…." He began leaning towards her. At the moment his lips were about to brush hers she stepped back.

"I'm sorry, it's just…" A tear escaped her eye. She wiped it away quickly. She still hadn't recovered from seeing Austin with that other girl. She had no right to cry. Austin and her weren't together.

"Its ok. Why don't we take you upstairs? You can get some water and calm down." She felt dread fill her muscles, and for some reason she had the deepest desire to stay right where she was. She shook it off and followed Dallas down the maze of empty hallways. The music faded a little, and she relaxed her tense muscles. He gently led her into one of the bathrooms. He then locked the door. Ally's face scrunched up in confusion.

"You didn't have too lock the door. I'm just washing my hands."

"I just wanted us to be alone. I don't want anyone interrupting."

"Interrupting me washing my hands? Its not that big of a deal." A shaky laugh escaped her lips.

"Were not here for you to wash your hands ally."

He began sliding one of the sleeves of her dress down.  
"I'm sorry Dallas. But I just met you. And if you're implying kissing or something, I've barely had my first kiss."

"I'll teach you."

"No. I'm sorry Dallas, I'm leaving. I'm not comfortable doing anything of what I think your implying." She blushed, fumbling with the doorknob.

"You will whether you like it or not." His voice was forceful. Austin's words echoed in her head. She began hastily trying to unlock the door but her hands were trembling badly. _You shouldn't have given him a second chance Ally. _She felt a sweaty hand clamp around her wrist.

"You're staying right here."

Ally's heart was thumping wildly, as she tried to gasp in enough air to scream. Her eyes scanned the tiny bathroom for a weapon, something to defend herself with. The bathroom had a tiny window that let in a chilled breeze and harsh gray light. The tile flooring was a sandy color with tiny bubblegum colored starfish painted on it. The air was tinged with the smell of coffee. He stood in front of her, Ally trying to maintain enough space between them as possible, pressed against the wall. The music was too loud; she could feel it vibrating through her velvety black heels. Even if her vocal chords didn't feel broken, no one could have heard her scream. She didn't recognized the man in front of her. His eyes flashed a bronze color. His skin was tan, his t-shirt black. She knew his face, she knew his name. But this was not the man she knew. This was someone else, someone else who was slowly walking towards her, someone else who was pulling at her black stockings and kissing her neck, as she stood frozen, stuck in this nightmare. Tears began to fall from her eyes, smudging the silver eye shadow crusted onto her eyelids. She tried to drain all the colors in around her through the clouding of tears, as she thought _it might be my last few minutes. _

"There's no one here to save you now."

He continued, his eyebrows furrowed in anger,

"Austin is gone. Your hero won't be the hero this time."

She tried twisting out of his grasp, avoiding his mouth. She kneed him in the groin. His face contorted in anger. She felt his hand punch her face. She gasped.

"Don't do that again." Dallas snarled.

Her limbs felt frail and flimsy compared the wall that Dallas's body made, nailing her to the wall. He unbuttoned the first button on her dress. Her heart was beating in her ears. She looked down at her hands, not wanting to see his face. And then the second. She began to notice her nails, which she had messily done with white nail polish a week ago for her cloud club when she was sitting in her room listening to Marina and the Diamonds. And then the third button. Then she gathered the courage to look up into Dallas's dark eyes. He licked his teeth. And then she looked back down at her nails. He stopped to say something in her ear.

"If you tell anyone." He left her too imagine the horrors she would be bestowed with in the cruel silence. She would do it lightly, she thought. Not enough to damage his eyes for life. And then he unbuttoned the fourth button. And that was when Ally dug her nails into his eyes and ran.


	8. Chapter 8

She ran down the hallway, her heels pounding on the wooden floors, she turned left, right. Left again. She didn't know where she was going, only that she had to get away. Tears were making her pale cheeks damp, and her bottom lip was trembling. She heard the pound of footsteps behind her. She felt like doomed prey. She thought back to her words earlier that night,

_Someone could get lost in this house and never come out_

Her heart began to burn, her limbs weak. Each step she took was painful, as if knifes were being breaking through the film of chalky skin on her feet. The colors in the walls seemed diluted and smeared. She heard someone's footsteps behind her. She began to run even faster, her limbs feeling like stems of flowers, easy to rip out of the ground. She felt breakable. She quickly turned her head and saw a blur of black t-shirt and tan skin behind her. She pushed her limbs even harder, running and running. It seemed like she was running in circles, the long, narrow hallways all the same. Painted black walls and wooden floors. With each step, she imagined herself as a flower, a piece of her breaking off and being left behind as a heavy, damp, petal. Finally she could take it no more and collapsed on the chilled wooden floor, wheezing in air. The person stopped in front of her, taking her hand and pulling her up. _It's Dallas. He's going to take me back to that wretched bathroom. _She felt as if her heart was splintering.

She looked up to see Austin's gorgeous face, his irresistible features bathed in green light. She must really be going wonderland crazy, she thought. _First picturing myself as a flower and running around in circles, now imagining Austin, my hero, here to save me at last. _

"Ally, are you ok?"

It _was_ Austin. She feebly grinned. She was safe. Her brain would not have been able to conjure up his voice that well. She tried to open her mouth, tried to choke a few words out, but her throat felt shriveled. She couldn't seem to make a sound.

"Ally, what happened? You're really scaring me right now. I didn't even know you were here. You look like you've just seen a ghost."

He looked like he was in agony, barely managing to ask the question. She swallowed, licking her licks in an attempt to gain enough moisture to speak. She opened her mouth about to tell him all of it, remembering her mother saying that talking about the nightmare would make it go away, when she saw the flash of coppery eyes in the dim light. Dallas. As soon as she saw him, he was gone. She thought back to what he said in the bathroom,

"If you tell anyone." And then he had left the horrors for her to imagine.

She looked up into Austin's burnt honey colored eyes and knew she had to weave a lie.

"Nothing. I, uh, I just threw up, that's all."

Austin looked suspicious. He knew her too well.

"Don't lie to me Ally."

"I'm not."

"Then why were you fleeing as if your life depended on it?"

"Because I, because Trish, um, was chasing me because I rubbed some of the make-up she put on me off. With Trish, my life _does _depend on it."

She hollowly laughed.

She got up the next morning, her feet sore and her heart numb. She went to the bathroom, put some mint toothpaste on her Barbie toothbrush and glanced up into the mirror. She dropped the toothbrush into the sink, white toothpaste spattering her and the bathroom. Her eye was swollen half shut and her skin a patchy red-purple color. She flinched when she lightly touched a finger to it. Austin must not have seen it yesterday because of the dim lighting. She swiped concealer over it, artfully dabbing with a cotton swab. Then she took nail polish remover and wiped off the white nail polish. She decided to wear a hat today and her hair down in an attempt to somehow cover her black eye in shadow. She softly padded her way down the carpeted stairs after pulling on a flower-patterned dress and leggings. The warm smell of coffee pricked her nose, and she felt a wave of nausea arise. She remembered Dallas smelling like coffee, so strong that it tinged the air around him. She didn't think she'd ever be able to go into a Starbucks again. She began walking to school, the soft breeze stinging her bruised eye. She was _so_ glad that nothing happened, that he didn't even kiss her once on the lips. But his wet kisses on her neck seemed to be scorched there, disgusting and stomach churning.

She opened the doors to school, the windows spilling yellow light into the hallways, her nose greeted by the familiar scent of strawberry air freshener. She smiled, but then remembered to adjust her hat downward to cover her eye in shadow. She began walking to her first class. She settled down into her desk, plopping her bag on the floor and then praying that she didn't set the alarm off. The teacher, Ms. Autumn whose dresses always looked like fat, elegant green carpets, began speaking,

"I would like to introduce a new student today, who just transferred from Irwin High School. Please give a warm welcome to Aubrey Charlotte Winter!"

There was a faint smattering of applause and a few whistles as the girl sat down. Ally slightly tilted her head up. That was the girl at the party! The one who kissed Austin. Ally stared in envy at her. She looked even more gorgeous in the white sunlight. She had thick golden hair that went down to her waist. She was wearing dark blue jeans, brown uggs, and a lemon colored cashmere sweater. Her eyes had looked a powdery blue last night, but in the sunlight they appeared to be a dark navy, hiding the gray dust of secrets. Little did Ally know that the girl in the lemon sweater, sitting a few seats away from her, would unravel everything.


	9. Chapter 9

**This chapters kind of bad but I really hope you guys like it **

After her next few classes, she went into the cafeteria, heading towards her usual spot next to Austin, but someone else was already in it. All Ally could see was the girls long glossy blonde hair. She walked up right behind her, not knowing what to do, as the table was full.

"Ally! Have you met Aubrey yet?" Aubrey, the new girl, turned around, her eyes as blue as the sky outside the clouded yellow glass of the school windows.

"Yeah. Uh, I think I saw you at the party last night and you're in one of my classes." She tried to sound completely casual, as if she didn't remember Aubrey and Austin kissing.

"Uh-huh. Your Ally right? Austin talks about you in all of his classes." Ally thought she saw something bloodthirsty glint in Aubrey's pale blue eyes. She quickly wiped the thought away as Aubrey politely smiled at her.

"Not that much." Austin said, leaning back in his chair.

"Your going to fall one day." Aubrey said, giggling.

"Um, I guess I'm going to sit somewhere else." Ally awkwardly interjected.

"Are you sure Ally? I can move." Aubrey said.

"No, no. Its fine."

She went and ate her mushy cream cheese sandwich in the janitor's closet.

After school, she bumped into Aubrey.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house sometime?" Aubrey said.

"Um, I'm kind of busy today."

"That's okay." Aubrey said, her smile fading.

"If you want you can come with me to Sonic Boom? It's kind of boring but I have to work there today. I could show you around mine and Austin's music room" She thought she saw another glint of something cruel in Aubrey's white-toothed smile, but ignored it.

"That would be absolutely _great_, Ally! Um, when should I come?" She said, tapping her apple green nails against her pastel pink binder.

"Six or sevin-ish. I have to go home first to drop off my bags. Um, see you then! Have a wonderful day!" She began walking towards her house when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Austin.

"I didn't say anything because I didn't want to embarrass u but what happened to your eye?" Then her phone buzzed again, almost as if he had read her mind.

"Tell me the truth." She sighed

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid of what will happen if I do."

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. I will always be there to keep you safe "

_You weren't there to keep me safe yesterday. _She thought. She realized that she had typed it out subconsciously and was about to delete it when she dropped her phone. Somehow, the send button was pressed. _Oh my god. Now he's going to start asking questions._ Thankfully, there was no response. Maybe he didn't read it? She finally reached the damp wooden door of the fence around her house and waded through the long white-green grasses towards her front door. She jumped; Austin was sitting there, the white sunlight reflecting off his tousled dark blonde hair and tan skin. His eyes looked a dark brown like the damp, decaying leaves at the bottom of a forest. _Usually they are a light caramel color in the sunlight. _Ally thought. Then she thought that she needed to stop being so creepy. He motioned for her to sit down on the creamy white porch swing next to him. She did, the wood creaking in the earthy, moss and daffodil scented breeze, swinging them gently. He cupped her chin, bringing her head up and studying her bruised eye. His eyes looked a sad auburn color now, like a trembling deer.

"Ally, what happened?"

Silence.

"He invited me to the party" she knew he would know who she was talking about,

"and I decided to give him a second chance. I was going to say hi to you but you were kissing Aubrey. I, he, well, he led me upstairs to one of the bathrooms so I could freshen up. And then he locked the door. He tried to…"

She couldn't say it. Her lungs felt strangled, her brown eyes filling up with clear tears. Austin's limbs grew stiff with anger. He managed to get out the words,

"What did he do next?"

"He said that no one was there to save me now and he started kissing my neck and I tried twisting out of his grasp and kneed him in the groin. And then he punched me."

Austin's knuckles were growing white as he clutched the wood.

"He began slowly unbuttoning my dress. And then I dug my nails into his eyes and ran. I should have listened to you. I'm sorry."

Austin stood up and punched the wall, forming a crack with each blow. He punched the wall again and again, his eyes dark, veiled and unreachable.

"Austin. Please stop." He stopped, breathing hard. He sat down next to her, his head in his hands. All Ally could see of him was his tan fingers laced through his messy golden hair, the muscles beneath his black t-shirt tense. His voice came out muffled and low.

"Its all my fault. I should have _been _there."

Silence. All one could hear were the crickets chirping and the sound of her father in the kitchen making his apricot jam sandwich.

"I'm never leaving your side again." Austin said, pulling her close.

Ally was at Sonic boom, writing in her songbook. The air inside had always smelled like peppermints and baby powder, ever since she could remember. It was always comforting, a web of childhood memories. She heard the click of heels on the floor and looked up to see Aubrey. She had almost forgotten that Aubrey was coming. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun. She was wearing black, highwaisted shorts, a white crop top and fawn-colored heels. Her nails were now painted a fashionable white eggshell color. She sniffed through her perfect, tiny nose, pursing her pouty pink lips. _She's the most gorgeous girl I've ever seen. I'll never be as pretty as her._ Aubrey took out a tiny glass perfume bottle from her hand-bag and sprayed a lavender mist of perfume around her. It stung ally's nose and blocked out the familiar scent of peppermints and baby powder.

"Its called seduction. It might help to cover up that awful, cheap peppermint smell." She smiled as if she was giving Ally a generous gift.

"Hi, Aubrey. Welcome to the shop." Ally suppressed her irritation.

"Oh sweetie, what is that stain on your dress?" She paused leaning closer, "ewww, is that birdpoop?"

"No. I, um, it's a white flower. That's the design."

"Are you sure? I can help you try to wash it off."

"Um, yes, I'm sure."

"Okay, well, could you show me the room where you and Austin work?" She smiled sweetly, tilting her head as if she was speaking to a small child or puppy.

"Sure." Ally tried to suppress her annoyance again. Maybe that was just the way she spoke to everyone. She led the way up the stairs to the room.

"Its so small!" Aubrey giggled.

"Um, it's a really nice place to work."

"You don't have to get all defensive." Aubrey began walking around the room, trailing her fingers across everything. She picked up Ally's brown songbook and diary.

"Um, please don't look through that. Its private."

"Do you have something to hide?" Aubrey smiled, flipping through the thick pages filled with Ally's careful black handwriting.

"Um, please don't do that."

Aubrey began snapping pictures of a few entries.

"So you like Austin, huh?"

"No."

She began reading aloud one of her entries, Ally's throat suddenly felt dry, and she could feel her eyes starting to burn with tears.

"Sometimes Austin reminds me of a lion. His messy golden hair, the way his eyes go dark when he spots his "prey", girls. I can't believe I was just another victim. Let alone his _worst mistake_. It hurts so bad because I know he'll never have feelings for me the way I have feelings for him."

Her innermost thoughts sounded wrong and cheesy coming from Aubrey's lip-gloss coated mouth. She was laughing as she read it, snapping pictures. She waved her champagne colored iPhone in front of Ally, taunting her.

"Please stop."

"Now, I wont text these to Austin right now if you do one little favor for me."

"And what's that?" Ally said, her voice quivering.

"Make Austin fall in love with me."


	10. Chapter 10

**I know this is a very short and not very good chapter, but I'll write a long one soon :) Um, sorry to bother all of you, but I was just going to say that if I reach one hundred reviews (I know, it's a long shot but one can dream) I will announce a competition where readers can have a chance to have a role in the story, if you guys want. **

If Ally had had water or food in her mouth, she would have choked on it.

"Excuse me?' Ally said, staring at Aubrey's perfectly symmetrical face.

"I said I want you to make Austin fall in love with me."

"I can't _make _Austin fall in love with you."

"Yes you can. I'm good at reading people. And I can already tell that you have complete control over Austin's emotions. If you say one angry word to him, you can make him sadder then anyone else can. I'm guessing that you're also the only person who can calm him down when he's angry. If I had that power, I would utilize it. You don't even notice it."

"Why do you want Austin to fall in love with you?"

"Lets see… He's the hottest guy I've ever laid eyes on. He's rich and he'll be even richer when he becomes a superstar. He'll also be my ticket to fame." Ally swallowed, making a decision.

"I'd rather be utterly humiliated with those pictures then subject Austin to a loveless relationship." She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see Aubrey press the send button on the text messages of the pictures. From this moment on, everything would change. Austin would feel disgusted or awkward towards her feelings towards him, especially that she wrote detailed entries about him in her diary. But she would rather let Austin go then maliciously plot with a girl to push him towards a relationship where the girl only wanted to be with him for his future money and fame. There was silence. She opened her eyes. Aubrey had placed her phone facedown on the counter. Her cornflower blue eyes looked melancholy against the setting orangey-sunflower colored sun behind her. She swallowed before speaking. She wouldn't look into Ally's eyes and stared at the floor.

"That's not the truth. The truth is I want to be with him because he seems like he really understands me and I really like him. He's kind and sweet. After we slept together, I, we talked. We just lay there, tangled in the blankets and I told him how I didn't think my dad loved me. My mother lives in Ecuador and I can't visit her anymore because my cousin, he tried molest me in sixth grade. And it just all spilled out. And he listened and combed his fingers through my hair." Ally felt a surge of jealousy at this act of tenderness towards Aubrey from Austin but stifled it with a sense of pride for Austin being so morally upright.

"You don't have to not like me. We could be friends. My mom doesn't live with us either. And a few days a guy tried to kiss me and I think was going to try to do more. That's why I have this bruise on my eye. I'm not trying to say that my situation is as devastating as yours, he didn't even kiss me on the mouth, but we do have things in common. Oh, in case you didn't know, I would neve tell anyone about what you said to me unless you wanted me too." Ally said, a hopeful smile pasted on her face.

Aubrey's now steel-blue eyes seemed to close, like she was pulling the curtains shut of the windows into her existence.

"Maybe I have a sob story like yours, but at least I'm not ugly and fat." She leaned close to Ally's ear so that Ally could see her peacock feather earrings and the flecks of gray in her blue eyes.

"This isn't over." She hissed. Aubrey turned around, her hair swishing behind her in loose, fair, waves, leaving Ally slumped on the counter, a cloud of Aubrey's perfume stinging her eyes, her smile smothered and a lump inflating itself in her throat.


	11. Chapter 11

Ally opened the doors to school, her yellow dress frothing in the wind behind her. She began walking down the hall, strands of hair escaping her rusty golden barrey and the rubber heels of her brown boots pounding the plastic floor. The hallways swarmed with people, and milky sunlight coated everything. She was making her way to her locker when the loudspeaker crackled on. A syrupy voice filling the mike. Aubrey. She could almost smell her lavender perfume through the loudspeaker.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sorry to bother you all, but I was requested to make an announcement by Ally Dawson."

Ally froze. No. What was Aubrey doing? Aubrey cleared her throat as all eyes turned to Ally. She could hear Aubrey fumble with her phone, finding the image. The photos. Of the diary entries. She saw the top of Austin's messy dark blonde hair in the crowd. She couldn't ruin their friendship. She began sprinting towards the tiny room they made the announcements in. She opened the door, scanning the ugly brown furniture for Aubrey's blue eyes. Empty. Ally remembered that the announcements were now made in the student center, as this was being used as the new guidance counselor's room.

"I know its not valentines day or anything, but she wanted me to read one of her diary entries. Its about the guy she's in love with. She wanted him to hear her love for him." She began sprinting as Aubrey continued,

"She's too shy too as of the present moment."

Her hand was on the chilled doorknob of the office, and she ran in, slamming the door behind her. Aubrey turned around, her pink lips spreading into a grin. She placed her manicured hand over the mike.

"Aubrey. Please don't do this. I'll, I'll, do what you said."

She uncovered the mike and leaned in, saying, "I guess our announcement will be postponed." And then she left, leaving Ally standing alone in the middle of the room, panting.

The rest of her classes passed quickly. She caught up with Austin in the hallway.

"Austin."

"Sorry Ally, I'm busy right now." His eyes looked the color of bricks, cemented in anger.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Are you mad?"

Silence.

"Why are you always in everyone's business?" His voice was rough.

"I just want to know why you're mad."

"God, Ally, could you please just go away? I'm skipping school. You wouldn't understand."

She felt tears burn in her eyes. He had never said a single cruel word to her before.

"I said go away, Ally. Can you not understand English now?"

"Please tell me why you're mad."

Austin suddenly stopped mid stride, Ally smacking into his soft gray t-shirt. He pushed her off of him. His eyes were dark, laced with bitterness and fury. But Ally noticed the layer of hurt he was trying so hard to veil.

"_Why_, Ally? Are you really that oblivious?" He shouted, his breath hot in my face. Clusters of people were forming around them, whispering and pointing. His eyes flickered for a second, looking desperate, his voice lowering for a second,

"Get away from me. I can't handle myself right now. I can't rein my emotions in the way I usually do. Go." He seethed through gritted teeth.

"No. Just tell me." His eyes hardened again, this time darker then I had ever seen them. He looked livid. He stepped towards me

"Just tell you? Just tell you? Are you kidding me Ally?" He roared.

"I cant, I don't understand. I don't understand what I'm not getting." I said, my eyes foggy with tears. Everything was smudged and quivering, the faces, the green floor, the gray lockers, his brown eyes, all staring at me. The air was blotchy, pressing down on my chest. My heart felt exposed, as if my skin had been torn back and instead of it being red, my heart was sore and tender, ugly colors of yellow and white, rotting away, parts tumbling off and plopping into my stomach with each of Austin's harsh words.

"Are you blind to everything?" He punched a locker, forming a dent in it. He pummeled it again and again until it was battered into sharp, twisted, silvery metal ribbons.

"I can't deal with this right now. I can't deal with _you _anymore." He stormed out, brushing past me roughly, the door whooshing shut behind him.

Ally was sitting in Advanced Geometry, the only class she had with Austin. It was her last period. She hadn't seen Austin since the morning when he stomped out. She had still saved Austin a seat next to her. The teacher, Ms. Stromeyer, was drawing a triangle and talking about the pyagorthean theorem, the green Expo marker squeaking against the whiteboard. Ms. Stromeyer was a new teacher. She had long, wavy black hair, thick eyelashes and big, dark green eyes. She always wore red lipstick and beige pencil skirts. It was raining outside, cracks of thunder and lightning making the classroom shudder, the pages of her book flapping. Ally was sketching a picture of a crying girl sitting at her window overlooking fields of yellow grass and wet brown dirt. She was shadowing the girls dangling hands and fluttering-closed eyes when the door smacked open. Austin stood in the doorway, his gray shirt soaked and clinging to his tan skin. He shook out his tousled blonde hair, droplets of water flying everywhere. His face was glistening with water, his high cheekbones sprinkled with droplets, his long black eyelashes heavy with rain and beads of water sliding down his pink lips. She was so distracted by how extremely alluring he looked, lusty tingles racking her body, that she didn't notice the way he stumbled and held his weight on the desk, his breath heavy with the scent of beer. Everyone was silent, watching him, the girls practically drooling. Ms, Stromeyer cleared her throat,

"Please direct your attention away from the" she bit her pink lip, her cheeks flushed, running her pine needle colored eyes up and down Austin's body, "distraction. Now where were we?"

Austin plunked himself into the chair next to Ally's.

"Hello, Ally." He slurred, slowly forming the words. He scooted his desk closer to hers, wrapping his arms around her and resting his heavy head on her shoulder.

"Your mine, Ally. Okay?"

"Um, okay, Austin. Why don't we get you to the bathroom and get you cleaned up?"

She raised her hand.

"Ms Stromeyer? Could we go to the bathroom? Austin's not feeling so well."

"Sure, sweetie."

Ally wrapped her arm around Austin, trying to pull him up without being to obvious; everyone was too distracted by his body and face to notice. She pulled him towards the girl's bathroom, the one that was always empty, and she locked the door behind them just in case.

"Were going to stay in here for a little while, okay Austin?"

He was staring at her face in a strange way.

"Okay, Austin. Were going to get you some water."

"I don't want water." He slurred.

"Then what do you want Austin?" She sighed.

"You." Even though she knew it was only the alcohol talking, she blushed and looked down at her hands.

"Why don't we just get you some water?"

She suddenly noticed how soaking wet his clothes were. It looked swoon-worthy, but he must be freezing.

"Austin. Why don't we dry your clothes? You could get a cold. Do you have any extra clothes in your locker or something?"

He began pulling his shirt off.

"Um, you might want to go into a stall to change. And you don't have the dry clothes with you." She stuttered, staring at his chest as longing shook her body.

"But I don't want too, Ally." He said, pouting his pink lip out and making his brown eyes look sad. His signature puppy dog face. He began walking towards her. She ached for his lips. He placed both hands on either side of the wall next to her, stabbing every molecule in her body awake with thrills.

"This is so much more fun." He breathed in her ear, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to maintain her rational self. He slowly pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his, tan muscled chest, throwing it to the side. It felt as if her skin was sizzling.

"I could make you mine, Ally. You don't have to be in love with that guy you wanted to say something on the loudspeaker to." He said, his breath feverish in her ear, his words still slurred, his eyes filled with impure thoughts.

"What? That's why you were so mad, because you thought I was in love with a guy? Why would you care?"

"Why would I care, Ally?" He dryly chuckled.

"Yes, why would you care? It's a simple question, Austin." She said, crossing her arms. Austin's eyes now traveled to her now emphasized chest area, leaving trails of fire on her skin. She uncrossed her arms, staring at him angrily.

"You still don't understand, Ally? Are you that slow?" He said, dark anger flaring back up in his eyes. He stumbled towards the door, unlocking it, leaving Ally alone, and somehow wanting him even more.

Ally allowed herself a few minutes to calm down, to let the remains of the tingles subside and her cheeks to return to their normal pale color. She then stayed in the bathroom a few more minutes, staring at Austin's shirt, lying crumpled on the bathroom floor. She picked it up and stuffed it under her arm. She couldn't help but smile at the whiff of Austin's fresh laundry smell emitted from the shirt. Her eyes burned with anger and hurt as she walked back to the classroom. Class was probably over by now, but she had to pick up her stuff. She reached the door of the classroom, which was now shut with the blinds closed. She knocked. No response. It must be empty. She opened the door, the classroom casted in darkness. Papers were strewn everywhere, and Ms. Stromeyer's pencils toppled on the floor. Ally's eyes drifted up to the desk, to where Austin was kissing Ms. Stromeyer.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! I don't really like this chapter since its a filler but I hope it gives you a little bit of joy:) Don't worry the drama will be here soon...**

Ally sat next to the window, her tattered songbook in her lap, red sunlight glinting off her dark hair. She had just gotten home from school. She couldn't seem to understand why Austin was mad at her, so she had decided to make a list of all their interactions in the past few weeks. Her mother had always done that.

_1. Austin threw a party at my house. Was constantly flirting with other girls. We played spin the bottle and it landed on me. He seemed offended when I said no. He kissed me. I woke up with him in my bed, shirtless. I don't think anything happened. After all the craziness, I talked to Austin about my mother cheating._

_2. Didn't walk to talk, couldn't imagine even looking at him after he had taken my first kiss away without a thought. I was just another meaningless hook-up to him._

_3. He chased after me and forced us to talk in the janitor's closet. Told me "I deserved better" and was his "worst mistake"_

_4. He started like four fights, after I wouldn't forgive him, Trish told me to forgive him before he got himself expelled. Told me that I was the only one who had any power over him. I was about to tell her no before I saw Austin fighting with Dallas, looking as if he was going to kill him. Stopped him. Talked in janitors closet. He had heard Dallas say he was going to, um, f-word me whether Austin or I liked it or not. Q: Why was Austin included in that statement? Why would Austin care if Dallas f worded me or not? Possible A: Because he doesn't like Dallas and I'm like his little sister, no one wants to hear about his or her siblings having sex or being raped. He's like a protective older brother._

My hand stopped for a second, quaking as I built up the courage to write the next one.

_5. Dallas tried to do I-don't-know-what. Austin found me in the hallway. I didn't tell him what happened until the next day bc he noticed the bruise on my face. Thought it was his fault. Promised to never leave my side again. Then the whole thing with Aubrey happened. Q: Why does Aubrey think that I have so much control over Austin that I could make him fall in love with someone?_

She felt a tear drip onto the page, smudging the black ink. She quickly wiped it away.

_6. Aubrey made the announcement on the loudspeaker about me being in love with a boy and wanting confess my feelings to him, Austin got super mad when I asked him why he was mad. Asked me why I was so blind. He went off and got wasted. Came back to school, telling me he could make me his and that I should forget about the other guy. That he wanted me. It was only the alcohol speaking though. Then he went and kissed Ms. Stromeyer._

_7. I ran away. He stumbled after me (he was still piss-drunk), saying that he was only trying to numb the pain. That he didn't mean anything to him._

_8. Came home._

My phone buzzed. Austin was calling me. I shouldn't pick it up. I shouldn't forgive him. But of course I answered. His deep voice filled the phone. It sent shivers down my spine.

"I'm sorry Ally. I didn't—I didn't mean" I heard him swallow.

"Anything you said." She finished off for him.

"Yeah." Ally could imagine him running his hand through his hair.

"I can't even remember half of what I said. I was drunk. Could you just forget everything I said to you? I even think I tried to flirt with you. That just shows you how drunk I really was. Flirting with my little sister." His chuckle sounded hollow, as if he was trying to convince me or him of something. He continued,

"So who is the guy Aubrey was talking about on the loudspeaker? I want to meet him. See if he's good enough for you." His voice sounded disjointed and void of emotion. He kept halting, as if he trying to regain his emotionless voice, and than start again.

I imagined myself saying, it's you dummy, but I would never do that. Not me, shy little Ally Dawson. Thinking of Austin, I said

"He's way too good for me. Way out of my league" I sighed at the irony of the situation.

"I bet you're too good for him. You deserve the best." She bit her lip, smiling.

"Awww, thanks Austin…your too sweet…. but no. I know that there's no chance of him ever wanting me back." I gulped before continuing,

"Why did u freak out on me earlier?"

Silence.

"I, I…I heard the one thing that could make me lose all the control. That could hurt me the most. I can usually rein myself in, but…hearing it…I had no restraint anymore…I was numb…There was no one who could pull the reins on my temper…I'm sorry…I felt as if nothing that I could do could result in a worse feeling that I had right then…and I lashed out at you…its not your fault you don't…" He whispered, his voice fading at the end. She wanted to ask him what the one thing was, but his voice was so sore, so exposed that I didn't want to hurt him. He would tell me if he wanted to tell me.

"Austin don't be sad…it's Friday! We can have a sleepover!"

"Um, I'm not sure if that's a good idea, I'm not sure if I can control—never mind."

"Of course it's a good idea!"

"I'm not sure if I can handle—your pajama shorts are very short, Ally, and I'm a man." His voice was rough.

"What? I don't understand. What does you being a man and my pajamas have to do with each other?" He chuckled.

"This is what I love about you Ally, your naivety." The word love coming out of Austin's mouth made her gasp, but she reminded herself that he would never mean it in the serious, romantic way.

"Oh, don't be sad, Ally. We can do it another time." Her eyes widened, and she tried to stop the giggles from erupting from her mouth. She began to laugh, and Austin began to laugh to.

"Okay, you know what I mean. Bye Ally."

She laughed, "Bye Austin."

And they were back to where they started. Best friends. She sighed.


	13. Chapter 13

I sat in melody diner on one of the cracked red seats, the sky outside a soft glowing white, twirling the striped blue straw in my strawberry milkshake around my finger. I was waiting for Austin. It was Saturday, and Austin had promised to meet me here because I hadn't slept over. I had to find some way to make him interested in Aubrey. Just picturing her thick, long blonde hair and big blue eyes made my face scrunch up in disgust. I stopped myself; I shouldn't be mean to her. _Two wrongs don't make a right. She probably had a really bad life to make her this way_, I repeated to myself, shutting my eyes. The diner was empty, as there was some march going on. I had promised to watch the store. My payment: a milkshake and feeling good for doing something good. I heard someone slide into the seat in front of me.

"Austin! Finally, you're here!" I slowly opened my eyes and inhaled sharply. Dallas. My hands immediately went up to my neck, tracing the kisses that seemed to still be singed there, making me feel as if I wanted to vomit.

"Hello, Ally."

"Dallas, please get away from me. This is a public place. You can't try anything and Austin's almost here." I said, my voice trembling like the wine colored leaves outside.

"C'mon Ally. I was just kissing you. That's what parties are for. What did you think I'd do when you wore that tiny little black dress? Not want to kiss my date? You said no but you and I both know you meant yes. You deserved it, after looking at Austin so obviously when you were with me. You should say sorry to me for digging your nails into my eyes. You could have blinded me."

I stared in awe at him.

"Are you kidding me right now?" I said, my voice subdued to a whisper, clenching my fists, my nails digging into my skin to form little purple crescents. Dallas continued as if he hadn't heard me.

"Let me tell you a little story. A boy was walking home from school one day and heard a girl talking to someone on her porch swing. A blonde boy, to be exact. Telling him something she shouldn't have been. Something about the boy walking past them. The boy had warned her that something bad would happen to her if she told. But she still did, almost like she wanted him to punish her. Do you like making people angry Ally? Do you like it?" His clammy hand was placed on my knee. The diner was empty, the dim streets outside still.

"If you scream or do anything, I'll make your punishment worse. I'll find you. Always. You just have to wait and see what it is."

"Dallas, get your hands off of me. Now. I will tell the police." His hand withdrew from beneath her knee, his bronze eyes hardening.

"And who do you think they'll believe? The daughter of the penny scraping musician or the son of the richest man in town? My father has quite a few connections, Ally. Quite a few."

"Is that true?" I said, my heart pumping wildly as I slid off my orange heels quietly.

"Yes. Money can get you a lot." That's when I sprinted, my bare feet slapping the chilled floor. My fingers grasped the door handle.

"Help! Help! Help!" I repeated, running down the empty, silent streets, the white sky surging above me, almost as if it would sink low enough to crush me. Muscled arms wrapped around my waist.

"Lets get back to the diner, shall we?" Dallas muttered lowly in my ear, the smell of coffee and body odor invading my nostrils. I punched him and kicked him and bit his fingers and kneed him in the crotch but he was too strong, pulling me back to the diner. I screamed and screamed until my voice was hoarse. He pushed me up against the wall roughly, running his greasy fingers under my shirt, his usually glossy dark hair damp and frizzy from sweat. He began kissing me, slipping his tongue into my mouth as I tried to scream. I bit his tongue, salty blood filling my mouth and smearing my white teeth red. He drew his tan, callused hand back to slap me. I flinched, my body awaiting the impact. That was when I heard the door jingle open. Someone sprinted so fast over to Dallas, ripping him off of me that there figure was blurred. I saw a smudge of dark blonde hair. Austin. He was holding Dallas up on the wall by his t-shirt, hissing something in his ear. He began punching him in the stomach, every blow making a sickening crunching sound. I slammed my eyes shut, wheezing in thick air. I slowly opened my eyes. I knew I couldn't stop Austin and my limbs felt feeble. I slid down to the ground, trying to block out the sickening grunts of Dallas as he tried to swing his arms back at Austin. I couldn't focus on that. Instead I focused on a fly in the soupy Miami air. It flew close to me, so close that I could see the green and purple veins in the sticky paper of its wings pulsing slightly and feel the minute billows of air from the flapping of its tiny wings. I wouldn't let this fly die, wouldn't let anyone squish it, wouldn't allow myself to see the white insides whisked together with the black flesh. If I wouldn't see this fly die, I wouldn't see Dallas die. I didn't want to stand at a funeral, and go see Austin in an orange jump suit every day. I stood up, and wrapped my arms around Austin's muscled back.

"Stop." He didn't listen. More punches. There was only one thing I could do that would shock him out of his fury. I began kissing his neck.


	14. Chapter 14

I placed soft kisses on the back of his tan neck, coiling one of his feathery hairs on his neck around my finger. Intoxicating tingles racked my body from the contact of my lips to his warm skin. Austin froze, letting go of Dallas, who slid to the floor like a crumpled doll. He turned around, his eyes turning from a savage black to a burnt caramel color, his gaze flickering to my lips. He inched closer to me.

"Ally, what are you doing?" His voice was deep and rough.

"I, I wanted to stop you from killing him…. I knew this would shock you…your 'little sister' kissing you. It was the only thing I knew to do. I'm sorry…I know that must have been disgusting for you. It...It was for me too." I gulped. My skin was still buzzing from the kiss and I was finding it hard to think straight and stop myself from staring at his plump lips. I hope he didn't notice how my voice quivered when I lied at the last part. Austin was silent, his eyes still stuck on my lips.

"Please don't kill him." I placed my hand on his tan bicep. There was so much power pulsing beneath his skin. The power to kill someone. I shivered at the thought of how much he could hurt me physically if he wanted to. He would never do that. Not my Austin.

"He, he…tried to hurt you. I wasn't there to protect you before. Its my fault."

"Its not your fault. It's his fault. But remember, two wrongs don't make a right. We need to forgive."

"And where has forgiving gotten you Ally?" He said, motioning to Dallas.

"To still being friends with you." He was silent. I felt guilty as soon as the words left my mouth. I suddenly remembered Aubrey.

"I'm sorry. Why don't we go to your house? We can get you cleaned up and showered." His knuckles were freckled with blood.

"I can't believe you're the one taking care of me when you were the one who was almost…"

"Fortunately, nothing happened. It was just scary. You saved me." _Again_. _I can't believe I've become a little helpless damsel in distress. _

"Okay. Lets go." We walked to the car, his arm wrapped around my waist. He opened the door for me and I slid onto the warm leather seat, greeted by the scent of pine air freshener. He got into the drivers side. The sky seemed to slosh against the window as we drove, a pale green color interrupted by tufts of cloud. We arrived at his house, which was more like a mansion. Feathery palm trees lined the front. High, thick whitish green bushes prevented people from looking in. The gravel crunched beneath the car as I scanned the surroundings. Inside everything was dripping with heavy, damp flowers. My eyes stung from the bright colors. Oranges, scarlet's, soft ambers, violets, and indigos were just a few of the colors that flashed past me. Birds fluttered through the trees, and a huge white fountain stood in the middle of the elaborate garden. The soothing sound of running water and the chirping of crickets greeting my ears as Austin opened the door for me. This house was as familiar to me as my own. I knew every bump in the road, which sparrows would feed out of your hand, how much of the cookie dough you could eat before their personal chef got mad at you. Austin didn't like to talk about his parent's wealth and didn't use it to get ahead in the music business, only paying agents with his savings from bartending. His parents owned the biggest mattress company in the world, surpassing Sleepys-the mattress professionals and any other comfortable mattress companies you can think of. Austin opened the door for me, and I stepped out. We walked through the garden, towards the front door. Austin's mother, Mimi Moon, appeared from behind a few rose bushes. She was wearing fashionable, high waisted beige pants. A pale watermelon colored lacy umbrella cast her pastel pink lipstick and locks of glossy golden hair in shadow. She tinged the air around her with the scent of vanilla.

"Hello, Ally! My other child! The daughter I never had!"

Oh fudge. I quickly grabbed Austin's hands, covering the blood on his knuckles.

"Hi, Mimi!" Her eyes flickered to mine and Austin's intertwined hands, a grin slowly spreading across her face.

"Have you two _finally_ gotten together?"

"What? NO. Mom." Austin said, his tan cheeks turning slightly red.

"Okay, fine. More waiting. Someday, you two are going to get married. I know it." She clapped her French manicured hands together. By this time my cheeks probably looked like a clowns.

"Well, you two better be going. I don't want to keep you too long."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Its okay." I let go of Austin's hand, my hand feeling cold at the place his had been. We walked up to his room.

"Go shower." I picked up his scuffed black wallet, planning to take his phone out of it to play angry birds on. I opened it up. He had a faded picture tucked into it. It was one of me and him laughing together, the backdrop of the beach behind us, dotted with colorful umbrellas, his arm wrapped around my waist. It had been taken right after I had helped him get over his fear of umbrellas. I had secretly wished the whole time that I was the girl he had to save in the movie Dez was making. That I was the one he had his bare chest up against. Of course, I wasn't a pretty blonde girl. I had caught him making out with her in the public bathroom afterwards. I had gone home and cried. I heard the water shut off and I slid the picture back into its place, smiling at the thought of it. Austin came out with a towel wrapped around his waist. I looked down at my hands, not wanting to stare at his chiseled chest for too long.

"I think you and Aubrey would make a cute couple." I spouted out as he rummaged through his clothes drawers.

"Really? I think I look better with brunettes." He said, winking at me. I giggled.

"Seriously. She seems, um, nice. And she's really pretty." I swallowed; blinking slightly at how easily I had lied.

"You know I don't really like long term relationships."

"Yeah, well, maybe Austin the player should retire for a while."

"Maybe." He said, staring at me.

"You really want me to?" He sighed.

"Yes. Just try it out." I felt as if I was encouraging my own torture. Watching him with Aubrey would be heart wrenching. I was unfolding their romance; my doom.

"If it makes you happy." His dark honey colored eyes looked pain. He quickly looked away.

"I'm going to change, alright?" He walked towards the bathroom, and I couldn't help but watch him walk away, his tan skin glistening with water, his dark blonde hair wavy and damp. I felt as if I was just another puppet in Aubrey's game, unfolding the exact story she wanted me to. What that story was exactly, I didn't know. And that's what I needed to find out.


	15. Chapter 15

Austin came out of the bathroom in sweatpants and a light blue t-shirt. He sat next to me on his bed, smelling like soap. We began talking, our backs leaning against the wall. It was so easy to talk to him, to tell him things I had never told anyone before, so easy to make him chuckle. We went downstairs after Austin had heard my stomach grumble. We ran through the hallways, slipping and sliding on the glossy floors in our socks, tumbling onto one another. After our stomachs ached too much from laughing we went back up to his room, arms full with chips, ice cream and cookie dough galore.

I glanced at the clock. The glowing green numbers read 12:00. Seven hours had already passed? That clock must be wrong.

"C'mon, Ally. Let's go outside."

We raced each other to the front door, and of course Austin won. He swept me up in his arms, bridal style. I threw my head back laughing as he carried me out into the crisp night air. The moon hovered above us, washed in papery white, glued to the dark silk of the sky, a white blemish with sagging, crusty eyes. He carried me down a few narrow dirt trails to a patch of thick, long grass ringed by peach trees, white moonlight dribbling onto my red sneakers. Ivory flowers bloomed all around us, twining around everything, even the plump pink-orange peaches dangling from the branches. The flower's vines weaved together to form a leafy, green drape, blocking out everything outside.

"Lets put some music on." Austin took his iphone out, the screen glowing softly in the mossy darkness. The notes of the Beatles song, _I want you_, pierced the fresh night air. I looked up shyly at Austin.

_I want you_

_I want you so bad_

_I want you,_

_I want you so bad_

I couldn't help but let my gaze drift to his plump pink lips. It would be so easy to just arch my head up slightly and connect his lips with mine.

_It's driving me mad, it's driving me mad._

_I want you_

_I want you so bad babe_

Every fiber of my being wanted hot shivers to be sent through my spine by fusing his lips to mine. I wanted to run my fingers through his soft, dark golden hair and wrap my legs around his waist, wanted to be the one to appease the desire, the need in his dark eyes.

_I want you,_

_I want you so bad_

I wanted to indulge in his warmth.

_It's driving me mad, it's driving me mad. _

I forced my hands to stay limp at my sides. The song ended, the notes sizzling out in the dark air. _I want you to be my last first kiss. _I thought, knowing that it would never happen.

"Let's dance." Austin said, his eyes now gentle and warm, looking at me with a sense of adoration.

"Austin, you know I can't dance."

"I can teach you." He said, and before I could protest, his hand was placed on my waist and my hand enclosed in his.

_Oh kiss me out of the bearded barley,_

_Nightly, beside the green, green grass_

_Swing, swing, swing the spinning step_

_You'll wear those shoes and I will wear that dress_

The song seemed to cradle us in a warm cocoon as we swayed back and forth.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight_

_Lead me out on the moonlit floor_

_Lift you open hand_

_Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance_

_Silvermoon's sparkling,_

_So kiss me_

He twirled me out and then pulled me back in, so close that my cheek was pressed to his warm, muscled chest. I never wanted to leave.

_Kiss me down by the broken tree house _

_Swing me, upon its hanging tire_

_Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat_

_We'll take the trail marked on your father's map_

I tilted my head up, drowning happily in his amber eyes.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight_

_Lead me out on the moonlit floor_

_Lift you open hand_

_Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance_

_Silvermoon's sparkling,_

_So kiss me_

I was so happy, my whole body coated in a kind of euphoric feeling.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight_

_Lead me out on the moonlit floor_

_Lift you open hand_

_Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance_

_Silvermoon's sparkling,_

_So kiss me_

I could feel something beneath the blissful feeling, something sorrowful inside me that knew, that had this notion, that this was my last dance with Austin. That something would tear us apart. I think he felt it too.

_So kiss me_

_So kiss me_

But in that moment nothing in the world, not even the knowledge of what was about to happen, could dull the grin on my face.


	16. Chapter 16

I walked into school Monday morning, wearing a purple dress decorated with large white flowers and a brown vest layered over that. My hair was down in soft, dark waves and I wore a new perfume I had gotten that smelled like honey and orange blossom. I hadn't been able to get the grin off of my face since Saturday. That's what dancing with Austin could do to you. I felt as if I was walking on sunshine. Cheesy, right? But there didn't seem any words to describe the emotion and it really did feel like walking on sunshine. Someone came up from behind and swooped me up in his warm arms as if I were light as a feather. I shrieked, which turned into a fit of giggles when I saw it was Austin. He had a smirk on his face, and his eyes were glistening with cheerfulness. He wore gray jeans and a army green leather jacket.

"Guess what, Ally?" He looked even more gorgeous then usual when I could see those dimples of his.

"What?" I said, a smile still pasted on my face. I felt as if it would be there forever.

"I asked Aubrey out like you told me to!" My smile melted away. His smile wasn't for me. It was for Aubrey. I felt as if my heart had been skewered.

"And what did she say?"  
"Yes!"

"Wow, Austin…that's great." I said, with as much energy as I could muster, which wasn't all that much.

The next week passed with Austin bringing Aubrey everywhere, his arm looped around her waist. His eyes always seemed to flicker over to mine, as if he was gauging my reaction. I would struggle to keep my face unreadable until I felt his eyes stop burning into my skin.

I was walking through the hallway on Friday, looking forward to having the weekend to sleep away reality and try to forget the heartbreaking images of Austin and Aubrey. I decided to go to the bathroom to tighten my ponytail. Doughy gray light spilled in from a small window and everything in the bathroom was painted an ugly brown color. I was about to turn the tap on to wash my face when I heard soft whimpering. I could hear the gulping of air and sniffles. Someone was crying. I knocked softly.

"Are you alright in there?"

No response.

"Is it alright if I come in?"

More sniffles.

I swung the door open slowly. Aubrey. Her big eyes, blue as a robins egg, were shimmering with tears and slightly bloodshot, her thick black eyelashes heavy with salt water. Her long, blonde hair framed her pink cheeks, soaked with tears. She sat on the toilet seat with the lid closed, the air around her hinted with the scent of her lavender perfume.

"Are you okay?" She stood up slowly, her hands limp at her sides, shoulders slumped. I hugged her tightly. She slowly wrapped her arms around me, resting her damp cheek on my shoulder. _It doesn't matter what she has done before. Everyone deserves compassion, _I thought.

"Lets get you some water, okay? In a few minutes you'll be good as new."

I turned the tap on, and wet some paper towels. I began dabbing her hot forehead and wiping the tears and mascara under her eyes away.

"You even look gorgeous when you cry. Its not fair." I said, laughing, trying to make her smile in the silence of the bathroom. I was awarded with a weak grin.

"You don't need to tell me why you're crying, but if you want to, I'll listen. It might be good to tell someone."

I heard her swallow and new tears formed in her eyes.

"I…I'm…Remember the party? I, um…well, you know, with Austin."

"Yeah, I figured that." I said, working hard to keep my voice soft and without a trace of bitterness. She continued, her voice quaking madly.

"Well…I'm….uh, I'm pregnant. With Austin's baby.


	17. Chapter 17

I woke up on a crinkled baby blue sheet in the Nurses office, my head pounding slightly.

"Honey? You're awake! Thank goodness."

The nurse stood over me, her thin lips pinched, her black hair pulled back into a tight bun that looked like a flower bulb. She wore greasy leopard print leggings under her stained white nurse outfit.

"What happened?"

"You fainted, sweetie, in the bathroom."

"I did?"

"Mmhm. There's someone very worried waiting for you outside. He's been sitting there for hours." I walked out, feeling weak and deflated. Austin sat in one of the dusty, midnight blue chairs. His face looked pained. I didn't want to bother him, so I stood there.

"Ally!" He jumped up, wrapping me tightly in his arms.

"Why did you look so worried?"

"You fainted. I just, I was worried. You just fainted, Ally. Fainted."

"How did you know?"

"They came and got me." He continued,

"Aubrey was pretty pissed about it, that they automatically got me when you were in trouble. She kept talking about how you and me weren't family and why would they fetch me? And then she kept talking to me about how we were going to be family, but I didn't let her finish because I came here."

With the mention of Aubrey, the memories in the bathroom began flooding back.

_"I…I'm…remember the party? I, um…well, you know, with Austin."_

_"Yeah, I figured that." I said, working hard to keep my voice soft and without a trace of bitterness. She continued, her voice quaking madly._

_"Well…I'm…. uh, I'm pregnant. With Austin's baby."_

"Oh my god. Austin. Oh my god." I clutched at his red shirt. I suddenly felt anger flare inside of me, and I pushed him away.

"Why are you such an _idiot _Austin? What do you except when you sleep with every pretty girl you can find? It was bound to happen. Bound to happen." I muttered.

"What?"

"What happens when you don't use protection, Austin?" I said, changing my voice to that if I was speaking to a baby. I knew it would infuriate him.

"What are you talking about, Ally?"

_Oh my god. She hasn't told him yet. You're an idiot Ally._

"Nothing. Never mind." He caught my wrists, pinning me down onto the couch, hovering over me. I couldn't help the hot shivers or the way my eyes couldn't leave his plump pink lips. He was so close to me. _That could never happen Ally…he's way out of your league. He's already called you his worst mistake…and now he's got a pregnant girlfriend…and Austin being the way he is will marry her once he finds out._

"Was I really that bad?" I covered my mouth. Had I actually said that aloud?

"At what?"

"Kissing. I mean, I just want to know. It _was _my first kiss. Did I slobber on you or is there something else I should be careful of next time with other guys? There must have been something to make me your worst…" I emptily laughed. I wanted him to kiss me right then. To tell me that there would be no next times with other guys because I would be his forever. But of course that didn't happen because he's gorgeous Austin moon and I'm awkward Ally Dawson and life doesn't work the way movies do.

"Is that what you really think?" He looked crestfallen.

"I meant that I thought you deserved better and it was _my _mistake because you deserve someone so much better then me for your first kiss. You deserve the best this world has to offer."

"Your sweet." He chuckled.

"I try." He was still hovering above me. He was staring at her lips, his eyes darkening to that spellbinding raven-purple black color. He inched closer and closer, and I could feel the air crackle between us.

"Ally? Will you come here? I need to check your vital signs." The nurse screeched. I jumped up, my skin tingling crazily, and walked back to the nurse's office.

…

I sat in my last class of the day, listening to my advanced Geometry teacher, William, babble on about triangles and proofs. The air smelled like peanut butter, and I couldn't help but let my mind wander and I stared at the lime-green lawns outside the school.

_What is Austin going to do? This could ruin his whole music career. I can't believe this happened. I must be dreaming. _I began to pinch my cheek. It stung. _Fudge. This is reality. Maybe Aubrey took the test wrong. She should take it again. Has she told him yet? How will he react? They barely now each other. They've only been dating for a little more then a week. I don't think I've really processed it yet. Austin's only seventeen. What will he do with a baby? How many weeks old is it? Oh my god. Aubrey being a mother? The poor child. Don't be mean Ally. Maybe she has some inner motherly instinct that's in her. That's hidden. Very hidden. I know Austin will be a good father, but he shouldn't have to be. Austin's just my best friend. He's only a junior. He's a reckless teenager who gets drunk and has sex with girls but he's still my little Austin, the one who loves pancakes and has that huge grin that only children have. _I was pulled back into reality by William asking me a math question.

…

Today was Prom. A week had passed since I had woken up in the nurse's office. Aubrey hadn't told Austin yet. Trish had come early (four hours early) to my house. I helped her into her dress, which was stunning. She twirled around in the mirror, the red jewels sewed onto the bottom of the purple dress glistening, the velvety fabric billowing out around her. Her curls were toppled fashionably onto her head in a bun and she wore a soft pink lipstick.

"Trish, it should be illegal to be that pretty. Your making me feel horrible about myself." I laughed.

"Now, for you. I bought you a dress." She clapped her plump fingers together, her dark curls bouncing slightly. She pulled out a golden box with a big pink bow on the top.

"You shouldn't have, Trish."

"Don't worry. I paid basically nothing for it. I bought it when I worked at Gloria's Glamorous Gowns, before they realized how lazy I am and fired me." I slowly undid the bow; opening the box to reveal the most breathtaking dress I had ever seen.

It was made of ivory silk, the same color as the flowers in Austin's garden that we had danced beneath. Tiny pearls lined the top of the dress. The dress seemed to capture all colors in its reflection, glistening with soft pinks and yellows. I pulled it out delicately, as if it were a baby. Trish helped my change into it. The dress was floor-length, making me feel as if I were Cinderella. Trish applied scarlet lipstick to my lips; a contrast to the snow-white of the dress, and combed my hair, leaving it down in soft, loose curls except for two small pieces that she braided and attached to each other in the back with a barrette. It had gotten much longer, and was nearing my waist. We sprayed each other with light, flowery perfume and then went out the door. My dad drove us there, as we both didn't have dates.

"You should flirt with Dez tonight." I whispered in Trish's ear.

"Eww, what? Dez?"

"You like him. Don't even try to deny it."

She was silent.

"Is it that obvious?"

"No. I can just tell. You fight with him to be near to him. I do that sometimes too with Austin." The last part was more to myself then her, but I think she knew whom I was talking about anyway.

We stepped out the car into the frosty night air and waved goodbye to my Dad, Lester, before walking towards the doors of the auditorium. We walked in, the loud music throbbing in my ears. I immediately spotted Austin on the other side of the room with Aubrey. She was wearing a tight sky blue dress that matched her eyes. It was low-cut and short, her tan cleavage practically falling out and displaying her long legs. All the guys were practically drooling, staring at her. I saw Austin began roughly kissing her, his hands resting on her hips and pulling her closer, her hands tangled in his dark blonde hair. I turned away, a lump shaping itself in my throat. _You need to stop letting him ruin everything for you Ally. You can have fun. You can dance and flirt and feel just as wanted as Aubrey. Tonight, you're a different you. _Trish had already left to talk to Dez, so I squared my shoulders back, and began walking towards a cute boy in my math class named Elliot. We had gone to camp together when we were little. He had brown hair, always wore button up shirts and had a passion for basket-weaving.

"Hi Elliot." I smiled at him.

"Hi Ally. Do you have a date tonight?"

"No."

"Good." He said. I giggled.

"Do you want to dance?"

"I can't really dance, but I'll try."

"I'll teach you." I couldn't help but think of Austin, but shoved the memory away. _He will never love you back. _Elliot took my hand in his soft one and pulled me into the throng of people. I felt a pair of eyes searing into my back. Austin. I laughed a little louder at Elliot's jokes, touched his knee a little more knowing Austin was watching me. I wanted him to know I could have fun without him. A slow song came on, and Elliot pulled me closer. No hot shivers. No tingles. Nothing from the contact of our skin. Elliot was a bit clumsy, but I guess I had my standards too high. No one could ever be as graceful a dancer as Austin. _Your lucky a guy as cute as Elliot even wanted to dance with you. _I reminded myself. His lips were inches from mine. He leaned closer, his lips about to brush mine when someone punched him and he crumpled to the floor. I looked up to see Austin standing behind him, his eyes dark.

"Austin, what is wrong with you?" I screamed. He was fuming, his eyes a smoldering black-gold. I persisted, "Why do you care about 'the boy on the loudspeaker'? Why do you care about me dancing with Elliot? Why did you care about Dallas wanting to kiss me? Why do you care?"

I poked at his steel-like chest, wanting a reaction, wanting to provoke him. There was a certain guilty thrill to provoking the monster out of him.

"Are you that blind Ally?" He exploded in my face, livid. I stepped back slightly, shocked. He stepped toward me, his eyes scorching into mine, his arms stiff with anger, towering over me, daring me to yell at him. By this time a huge crowd had formed around us as if we were two boxers in a ring.

"You know what? You don't own me. I can kiss whomever I want. You're not my big brother and I'm not some weak damsel in distress. I don't need you. You think I'm blind to something? I think your blind to the fact that you have anger issues. I'm going to ask you one more time. Why. Do. You. Care. Its really quite a simple questi—"

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU." The crowd parted to form a path for him as he stormed away, leaving me alone, my mouth open in shock, my heart beating like a hummingbirds.


	18. Chapter 18

I stood in the auditorium, satiny music about love filling the air around me. Everyone was staring at me. One figure emerged from the crowd, her blue eyes stormy and bright in the darkness as she glowered at me. Aubrey. She approached me, her dress churning around her, making her look like some fallen angel with her fair hair and pink lips a stark contrast to the cruel anger writhing in her features. She stopped inches from my face and then lifted her hand up, and slapped me. Then she turned around, her blonde hair whipping my face and stomped away, following the path Austin had taken. Whispers began in the crowd, and I think I heard my name in all of them. I pushed through the crowd, clutching my stinging face, hundreds of eyes drilling into my filmy skin. I ran out into the bone-chilling air, rain soaking the pearly-white silk of my dress and making it heavy. All that surrounded me was a neon red stop sign glittering with rain and vacant silver sidewalks. An empty orange Fanta can made soft pinging noises as the gray rain battered it. I plopped down on the sidewalk, my creamy heels in the gutter. My mascara was beginning to bleed and the cherry red of my lipstick had faded to a dull maroon color. I sighed; my arms limp at my sides as I traced the folds of my dress. I had nothing left in me to cry. My eyes had run dry. I imagined myself as the conductor of the skies, and because I had no tears left, the clouds were weeping for me. _Austin could not have meant what he said. He couldn't fall in love with me. I must have heard wrong. I'm awkward Ally Dawson and he's popular, gorgeous Austin Moon. Maybe he had something to drink at the party. Maybe his friend dared him to say it to any ugly girl at the party. Don't get your hopes up Ally. Don't get your hopes up. Don't get your hopes up. _

My reverie was interrupted by someone's arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me up. He twirled me around so that I was pressed to his hard, warm chest. Austin.

"You're going to get sick out here in the cold." _So he's just going to ignore it like it never happened? This is just like my first kiss. _

"I'm not a little kid and you're not my father."

"I definitely do not think of you the same way you're father does." He said, his voice low and his eyes running up and down my body, my dress plastered to my skin by the rain.

"Aubrey told me." Austin said, looking up at me, his copper-penny eyes a web of aching.

"Told you what?" I said, trying to play dumb.

"You are such a bad liar."

"I'm not, um, lying." He was silent, his eyes probing into mine. We both knew that I had known.

"I want to tell you something."

"What?"

"I want, I want…to be a good father. I want my child to have a mother and a father who are together. And that's why I want you to stay away from me Ally." I gulped.

"What?" I choked out.

"Because I can't resist you." He stared at me, pain so apparent in his eyes that I almost thought that he was the one being left, that he wasn't the one who told _me _ to stay away.

"Before I leave, could you give me one thing?"

"No! I'm not going to give you anything! You're leaving me!" I began to spin around, pushing him away from me with full force, tears streaming down my cheeks and mixing with the rain slashing against the sky. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Not without him next to me. He pulled me back to him, pinning my wrists to his chest. I was powerless compared to him. A wild, desperate kind of lust flashed in his glossy chestnut eyes as he stared into mine, his dark corn colored hair glimmering in the rain.

"Well I guess I'm just going to have to steal it then." And with that his plump pink lips crashed into mine with a kind of want I could have never imagined before.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello everyone! I just want to let you know that your reviews make me write much faster, especially the long ones (you know who you are ;D) Okay this chapter has a few kind of inappropriate things implied in one part of Ally's thoughts. Just wanted to let you know. I would never actually write one of those M rated stories but it just seemed like a natural insertion of thought (if you don't want to read it, then just skip the longest italicized part). I also would like you to know that both Ally and I are extremely innocent (I'm fifteen and haven't had my first kiss) and I don't mean to make anyone uncomfortable (I'm extremely naïve about these things myself) but who wouldn't think that after making out with Ross Lynch? It just seemed to fit the characters. Anyway should I have the competition for a reader to have a minor role in the story? If you want it, then I'll give it to you, just say yes. I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful day! **

His lips were so soft, sending bolts of electricity through me. I almost couldn't take how much I was feeling. The amount of shivers when he touched my knee times thousands wouldn't even equal this feeling. My body almost couldn't handle it. I couldn't even feel the rain, the water just like soft little wisps caressing my skin, feathers out of a giant pillowcase. He smelled like soap and pine needles. Nothing mattered apart from his warm, strong body against mine, everything else whisked away to leave the world empty apart from us, together in this moment. I somehow knew that this was our last kiss. My whole body was burning with months and months of pent-up desire for him, and the kissed deepened, altering from sweet to lustful in seconds. He backed me up against the side of the building, the bricks the color of mint cream, my fingers intertwined in his golden locks. I wrapped my legs around his waist, his strong hands on my bare thighs, squeezing gently to keep me in place. _As if I would ever leave._ My whole body ached for him. He began kissing my neck, sucking slightly on my skin, sending so many pleasurable tingles through my body it almost hurt. He began to kiss me harder and rougher, almost desperately, as if we both knew we were no longer fated to be together, that this was our last chance. We stayed that way, our lips battling in lust, our bodies melting and fusing together. He broke apart from me for a few seconds, pulling his shirt off quickly. I felt horribly cold without him, his skin, his lips pressed against me. A slow grin spread across his face as he watched me blush at the sight of his bare, tan six pack, his black t-shirt abandoned on the sidewalk. His fingers began to graze my stomach, pulling me even closer then before, my head not even up to his shoulder as he craned his neck down to gaze at me, his eyes a gorgeous dark orange-brown color, like wildflowers against the backdrop of the copper rose colored sky behind him. The contact of his bare chest to mine was sending thrills everywhere. There was only that thin sheet of fabric between my bare stomach and his. _It would be so easy for him to push me against that wall. Kiss me rough like he was doing before. His tan arms on either side of me, his face flushed slightly as he pushed inside me, my back smacking the wall repeatedly, my legs wrapped around his waist. I wouldn't be the first girl he deflowered. _My cheeks turned the color of pink orchids and I shoved the thought away. I had never thought anything like it before. Not for anyone else. Ever. His eyes had darkened to a smoky black color. He had probably guessed what I was thinking.

"I want you so bad. If you don't stop me now, I wont be able to control myself." He said, pausing for a second to catch my eyes, even eye contact making me shudder with tingles. His blonde hair was messy and his plump pink lips were parted slightly. I noticed that I was panting. _I hope he didn't hear that._ I soon regained my senses and pushed him away.

"What was that, Austin?" I screamed, my lips still tingling crazily.

"I couldn't help myself."

"You have a pregnant girlfriend! What is wrong with you?" He was still looking at me, still staring into my eyes. I knew I had to hurt him. He wanted me to go away, right? It would be easier for both of us if we hated each other.

"I said no to 'giving you a gift' and you still did it. You're no better then Dallas." With each word I felt as if I was driving a knife deeper into my heart. I gulped and continued.

"You're a horny man s-l-you know what. I don't know why I was friends with you. Your fame is going to fade away and all you'll be left with is you're stupidity. You have no future." And then I walked away, telling myself I was doing the right thing. I had no place in Aubrey and Austin's family. I would always be the odd one out and I guess there would be a new A&A team.


	20. Chapter 20

**Okay. So here is the competition. I'm sorry this isn't a chapter, and if you don't want to do it, don't. I'll do an example of the "application" on myself. Try to make it as detailed as possible so that I can actually describe your character.**

**Name: E (yes, my name is just a letter, you can look it up if you like)**

**Gender: Female**

**Hair: A very reddish auburn, thick, long, wavy**

**Eyes: Light brown**

**Skin: Ivory and I have some light freckles on my cheeks**

**Lips: thick, red**

**Loves: Animals, writing, drawing and acting**

**Character you would like to play: Aubrey's minion (this can be anything, be creative)**

**Crush: this is optional but it can be anyone in the show Austin and Ally **

**Body type: (this is also optional, it would just be nice for descriptions) skinny, double dds, big butt**

**Your worst trait: I'm too trusting and I ****_really_**** care if someone doesn't like me **

**Your best trait: My empathy and my kindness**

**Your worst fear: Losing the people I love, I would die for them if it meant that I would save them**

**Do you want your character to be good or evil or neither? Good.**


	21. Chapter 21

**I have read through every single submission, and I like many of the characters. The winners will be announced next chapter, but if your name isn't called, there is still a possibility of your character entering the story, but just in a more minor role. Anyways, the song Ally sings is Talyor Swift's Sparks Fly but slightly altered. I really hope you guys like this chapter because all I want to do is make you happy :D **

I walked towards the school, the sky a steel blue color, perfumed white flowers lining the front of the school gate. I walked into the doors, the strawberry air freshener swirling into my nose, the chirp of birds muffled by the walls of the school. I walked to my locker humming a song I had written last night before drifting to sleep. On the gray metal, scrawled in heavy red ink, was the word HOMEWRECKER. I bit my lip and swallowed, pulling at the ends of my hair. I would have to scrub it off later. Maybe I deserved it. I should have stopped Austin from kissing me, pushed him away sooner, but I was too focused on his lips, too desperate for his touch.

The rest of the day passed quickly, apart from my classes with Austin. I felt as if a rope connected us, tugging on my skin to get closer to him until refusing was almost painful. I wanted to take a knife and saw off the fraying rope, even though I knew it would hurt, like cutting off my own arm or leg. I thought back to my dream last night. I dreamt of someone shredding Austin's heart like red construction paper. I hated the girl, in her obnoxious yellow dress, with her dark hair and too pale-skin. I noticed that she liked to waste herself away, or at least liked to think she was wasting herself, that she had more potential then what she was reaching. Then the image un-blurred and I realized that it was me before I was swept away by an electric pink dust storm and turned into a thin woman made of dollar bills. I shyly glanced up at Austin again, the air crackling between us as the teacher drawled on and on about parallelograms. The yellow sun glinted off his tousled, dark golden hair. His eyes were a pale brown, like splinters of white sunlight and maple syrup blended together. There was something childlike in his eyes, someone who needed to be protected and taken care of. But something else surged in the waters of his eyes, billowing with a darkness, a sense that one should never love him, that he makes hearts fall to fast, shattering them like china. He had the face of an angel, coaxing you towards him, but somehow more magnetic then someone pure could be, charismatic as the devil with his perfection. I tried to pull my head out of the now saffron-colored sky outside, away from the warped fantasies of ropes and devils and angels and hearts shattered like blue and white china. _You will never have him. He is not yours to dream of. _I looked away from him, my eyes glistening with tears. I felt as if the kiss was still feverish on my lips, and I had the desperate urge to tear off my mouth, watch the plump red lips flop on the pea-green plastic flooring like a dying fish out of water. I tore my eyes away from him and to the chalkboard. The minutes passed slowly, but finally the bell rung and I ran to the small music room in the back of the school, my fingers itching to pour out my emotions on the piano. I sat down in front of the worn wooden piano, painted with tiny blue flowers and began to sing the song I had wrote last night, the notes piercing the still, empty air, just the right amount of off and crunchy to sound gorgeous.

The way you move is like a full on rainstorm

And I'm a house of cards

You're the kind of reckless

That should send me runnin'

But I kinda know that I won't get far

And you stood there in front of me

Just close enough to touch

Close enough to hope you couldn't see

What I was thinking of

Drop everything now

Meet me in the pouring rain

Kiss me on the sidewalk

Take away the pain

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

Get me with those brown eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

My mind forgets to remind me

You're a bad idea

You touch me once and it's really something,

I'm on my guard for the rest of the world

But with you I know it's no good

And I could wait patiently but I really wish you would...

Drop everything now

Meet me in the pouring rain

Kiss me on the sidewalk

Take away the pain

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

Get me with those brown eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

I run my fingers through your hair and watch the lights go wild.

Just keep on keeping your eyes on me, it's just wrong enough to make it feel right.

And lead me up the staircase

Won't you whisper soft and slow?

I'm captivated by you, baby, like a firework show.

Drop everything now,

Meet me in the pouring rain,

Kiss me on the sidewalk,

Take away the pain

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile.

Get me with those brown eyes, baby, as the lights go down

Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around

'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile

And the sparks fly...

Oh, baby, smile...

And the sparks fly...

I look up to see Austin standing in the doorway, his muscled arms crossed over his chest, staring at me with those dark eyes through his mop of blonde hair. He's wearing his brown leather jacket over the army green t-shirt. My eyes can't help but trace his_ very_ defined six pack through his shirt, my cheeks red. _I cannot believe he just heard that. He knows its about him. _

"I'm sorry for telling you to stay away from me Ally. Its just hard to control myself when I'm around you, to not reach for you, to not want you." Hearing that he wanted me sent hot pulses through my body but I tried my best to ignore them, instead focusing on the task of chipping the pineapple-yellow nail polish off my nail.

"Will you forgive me?" I imagined the rope. I had the knife in my hand, and I had the choice of either chucking it away or breaking us apart, the frayed strings finally tearing.

"No. Your right. We should stay away from each other. I don't want to be called a home wrecker again." The knife sliced through as if the rope was butter.

"Who called you a home wrecker, Ally?" Austin said, his eyes darkening.

"No one."

"Ally, I won't let you leave this room until you tell me."

"You know what, Austin? That's the first thing on the list. Stop trying to protect me. I already told you, I'm not helpless. Were staying away from each other, remember? I'm not going to talk to you anymore, and your not going to talk to me. This is the right thing to do. The right thing. You have a baby on the way." I felt as if I was trying to convince myself.

"I don't care if you want me to stay away from you Ally. I'll always be here, I'm not letting go of you." The air was stilled now, no longer shivering with the remainders of notes.

"Well I'm letting go of you." And with that I walked out of the music room feeling as if I had plucked my heart out of Austin's hands. But now I had nowhere to put it; pulsing in my trembling hands, as tears cascaded down my cheeks.

I walked home, managing to dry my eyes before groping through the long, pale grass in my front yard to the door. _This day cannot get any worse. At least now I know I've hit the absolute bottom. Perhaps I can gain comfort in the fact that nothing bad can happen that would bother me compared to this._ I opened the door to the house to be greeted by my dad, his features contorted in anger. It was then that my eyes landed on the empty beer bottle in his sweaty hands that he was waving in front of me as if it was evidence for a murder case. It was the same one I had played spin the bottle with Austin that fateful night of the party. _Oh no, oh no, oh no._

"Is there something you need to tell me?" He said, so angry it looked as if smoke was lifting off his skin.

And with that I was proved wrong, because things were about to get much, much worse.


	22. Chapter 22

I stared at the beer bottle in Dad's hand. The only sound was the sizzle of a neighbor's barbecue and the burnt smell wafting through the blue sky.

"Um, that's, uh, I don't know what that is."

"Don't lie to me, Ally."

"I'm s-sorry dad." I stuttered, tears bulging in my eyes.

"What were you doing Ally? How could you betray my trust?"

"Some people came over, and then everything went crazy. I didn't know there was alcohol, they put it in the punch."

"I trusted you. Have you been doing this every time I'm gone?"

"No, of course not."

"I thought you were responsible. I thought you were my sweet little girl." He shouted in my face, threads and droplets of spit muffling his words. His entire face was flushed red. He stomped back into the house, slamming the door on its hinges. I heard it lock.

"Dad? Dad! What are you doing?" No sound. _I cannot believe he is locking me out_. I flopped down onto the balcony. I waited for hours, the sky fading to a bruised banana color before darkening to black. I screamed until my voice was hoarse for dad to come out. I pushed myself off the damp wood of the terrace. The dark air was humid, thick velvet choking my throat as my pink-grapefruit flats slapped the hot pavement. The sound of crickets chimed in the air and the streetlights flickered, red and orange rubies against the night sky. I slumped down on a bench, tiredness throbbing in my limbs until my eyelids slammed shut.

I woke up in the morning, the lime green lawns stinging my eyes, flakes of dreams drifting in my eyesight. I looked at my watch 7:00. I walked home, banging on my door. No answer. I began aimlessly walking towards school. I smacked into someone, slowly looking up. Aubrey.

"Well isn't someone looking horrible today."

"Thank you so much, Aubrey. You look gorgeous, as usual."

"Obviously. Well anyways, I just wanted you to know that I don't need your help anymore, I mean with the whole fake pregnancy thing—"

"What? I didn't just hear you right."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you." She said, twirling a blonde strand around her finger.

"Its not like you can tell Austin or anything. He'll just think your crazy. I'm going to fake a miscarriage. I really am a genius, aren't I?" She giggled, and flounced away. I felt so incredibly helpless in that moment. What kind of person was she? Who toys with people's emotions that way? I didn't even know how to deal with her. I couldn't even process anything right now. I walked into school, my head throbbing, and the walls too white, everything too still. I looked up, only to see Austin. His eyes connected with mine. They were glowing today, like flickering embers in a swirl of brown dust. We passed each other without a word. That's what he wanted, right? The classes passed quickly, my dad's disappointed face haunting my thoughts, and I walked home. I got to my door, which was slightly open. My dad always locked it. I lightly pushed on the splintering wood and it creaked open. All the lights were on.

"Dad?"

No answer. The only sound was the pad of my shoes on the mustard-colored carpet. I scanned the kitchen. A cup of coffee was out, steam still rising from its contents. My dad's favorite chipping neon blue mug with a tacky palm tree painted on it. _He must be here. He wouldn't just leave his afternoon coffee. Dad loves his coffee. He was just in the kitchen. He must be her somewhere._ That's when I noticed the note tacked onto the fridge door with one of the multicolored magnetic letters. I plucked it off the fridge, a sick feeling in my stomach.

_Not a word. If you ever want to see him again you'll come to the fountain in the middle of Miami mall. A trade. You for him. You always knew you'd be mine._

That was when I noticed the letter it was pinned under.

**D. **


End file.
